There are Genuine Alternatives to Australia’s Current Policies and Processes
There are alternative solutions to respond constructively and compassionately to the plight of people seeking asylum in our region. Here are just four:
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Make community processing the norm
Community processing is an existing, workable alternative to processing asylum seekers in detention centres. In fact, asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by plane are permitted to live freely in the community while their claims are assessed. Currently, the Australian government is detaining men, women and even children who arrived by sea in offshore centres while their claims are being processed. Community processing is not only significantly far more cost effective, but also provides a safe and welcoming environment to people seeking asylum during this challenging time instead.
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Invest in a serious regional protection framework
We should invest in a regional protection framework to raise human rights standards in our region. By investing in capacity building, Australia could take the lead in developing genuine burden sharing arrangements in the region, ensuring that asylum seeker flows are managed equitably within a human rights framework.
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Provide alternative legal pathways to seek asylum safely
We need to work respectfully with countries in our region like Malaysia and Indonesia to take proactive measures to processing applications for people seeking asylum before they risk their lives to find safety and freedom in Australia by boat or other method.
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Recognise there is no ‘Final Solution’
Australia must recognise that asylum seekers and refugees are an inevitable part of a world where war and oppression exist. In such a global environment, there are no final ‘solutions’, only effective and ineffective methods of managing what is an ongoing problem. Greater attention on the endemic issues of war and oppression in refugee producing countries must be a part of this effective management strategy, particularly in those parts of the world where Australia has a direct involvement.
For more solutions and a further explanation, check out the ASRC’s solution fact sheet.
