Fielding: “Hotel Queensland” shatters Rudd’s credibility on asylum seekers
Family First Senator Steve Fielding says the Rudd Government’s credibility to stem the flood of asylum seekers has been shattered after it was revealed the Government has been secretly housing them in a hotel in Queensland.
Senator Fielding says that by keeping asylum seekers in four-star hotels will only encourage more boats to come our way.
“First it was Hotel Christmas Island, now it’s Hotel Queensland,” Senator Fielding said.
“The Government hasn’t got a clue how to handle the wave of asylum seekers flooding our shores and giving them luxury accommodation is clearly not the answer.
“There is no way we should be detaining asylum seekers in hotels because it just gives the people smugglers an extra selling point.
“The Rudd Government is encouraging people to put their lives at risk by jumping onto leaky boats and taking the dangerous voyage to Australia – all because we’re seen as a soft touch.
“We need to send a clear message to the people smugglers that Australia will no longer allow them to profit by preying on desperate and vulnerable people.”
Senator Fielding has once again urged the Rudd Government to take a look at the idea of sending boat people to the back of the queue in overseas refugee camps to stop people smugglers from selling Australia as an attractive destination.
Under Family First’s proposal queue jumpers would be sent to the back of the queue at various overseas refugee camps and not given a gold pass to come into Australia.
“We need to send a clear message that queue jumping won’t be tolerated by Australia,” Senator Fielding said.
“Every time we accept a refugee into our country by boat, another refugee waiting patiently in an overseas camp somewhere is forced to wait even longer.
“There are thousands of refugees patiently waiting in line in camps across the world trying to gain asylum but boat people just push them further down the queue.
“There is no way I think we should be rewarding people for jumping the queue and penalising those who are waiting in line.”
