Political leaders are being urged to embrace refugee policies “grounded in humanity, not cruelty” as new research found a majority of Australians polled believe the federal Government has a responsibility to accept people seeking asylum. Source: The Guardian.
The polling, commissioned by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and conducted by Redbridge, shows more than half of those polled support granting asylum seekers work and study rights while they await the outcome of their protection visa applications.
The findings, which asked 1508 Australian voters in January, show while many supported tough policies for those seeking asylum, many still supported compassionate responses.
However, those polled also rated refugee and asylum seekers as one of the least important issues to voters ahead of the federal election, with the cost of living, healthcare and the economy rated in the top three.
Just 1 per cent considered refugee issues as their top election priority.
It comes as the Albanese Government announced yesterday three non-citizens, whose visas had been cancelled on character grounds because of previous criminal convictions – including a convicted murderer – had been placed in immigration detention awaiting deportation to Nauru after the tiny Pacific island agreed to grant them 30-year visas.
The polling showed 35 per cent strongly or somewhat supported the Government’s powers to pay other countries to take asylum seekers or non-citizens Australia wants to deport.
Around 32 per cent were strongly or somewhat against the measure, while 23 per cent felt neutral.
Almost a third supported deporting asylum seekers to their country of origin, regardless of the risk of persecution or violence, while 42 per cent opposed it somewhat or strongly.
Jana Favero, the ASRC’s deputy chief executive, said the results showed voters had “compassion” and “a desire for humanity” when it came to people fleeing danger and how “out of touch some politicians are – especially in the lead up to elections”.
“It’s time for our leaders to embrace policies grounded in humanity, not cruelty,” Ms Favero said.
FULL STORY
Poll suggests majority of Australian voters expect fair and humane approach to refugees (By Sarah Basford Canales, The Guardian)
