Increase Australia's Humanitarian Intake

Thursday night the Government announced at long last, that it will begin processing asylum seekers who arrive by boat on Australian soil, while publicly remaining committed to the Malaysian agreement.

A number of the changes announced are welcome including faster processing of asylum seekers and community placement during processing for those arriving by boat - the same successful measures in place for years for those who arrive by plane. What's missing? An increase in the humanitarian intake.

Currently Australia accepts 13,750 individuals each year, who face persecution or gross human rights violations in their home country. But this number is woefully inadequate when compared with the number of those needing protection. By roughly doubling the intake to 25,000 annually we could reduce the number of boats, while providing greater protection to those in need.

You can help make it happen. Use the tool on the right to send your Labor MP a message: it's time for the Government to adopt a common sense approach to refugees. It's time to increase the humanitarian intake.

Not sure what to say? Click here.

Onshore processing works. The interim steps announced by the PM, including faster processing and community detention have been in place for years and employed successfully for asylum seekers arriving by plane. It's time to make these tried and true measures permanent.
Australians agree that we don't want people making the dangerous journey by boat. Only by increasing the humanitarian intake will we ever truly meet our protection obligations, while undermining the people smugglers who seek to profit from persecuted people.
It's time to replace Pacific Solutions and Malaysian Solutions with sensible solutions. The Gillard Government should work to craft a multilateral, regional cooperation framework that ensures adequate protection and timely assessment of refugee claims while setting a world-class example for other countries, encouraging them to increase resettlement efforts by expanding Australia's humanitarian intake.

Email your Labor MP

Use the simple form below to tell your MP it's time to increase Australia's humanitarian intake.

NB: To ensure your message has the maximum effect, please be sure to include your full name and address at the end of your email - that way they'll know you're a constituent and pay closer attention.

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Subject Email Body Your details and the text below will be sent along with your message.

I was encouraged by a number of the refugee processing changes announced by the Government recently including faster processing of asylum seekers and and community placement during processing for those arriving by boat - the same successful measures in place for years for those who arrive by plane. What's missing is an increase in the humanitarian intake.

As you're aware, Australia currently accepts 13,750 refugees each year, but by roughly doubling the intake to 25,000 annually we could reduce the number of boats, while providing greater protection to those in need.

According to UNHCR, there are currently more than 90,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia. Yet between July 2009 and February 2011 only 518 visas were granted to people waiting in Malaysia and all of them went to Burmese nationals, leaving many people with no choice but to risk their lives on a boat to Australia.

If Australia is to slow the number of boats arriving on our shores we need to increase our refugee intake, target that intake within the region and step up diplomatic engagement with our neighbours to do all that we can to stop people risking their lives on the dangerous boat journey to Australia.

As your constituent, I urge you to continue building on the positive steps announced by the PM, including onshore processing and community detention, by increasing the humanitarian intake as well. It's time to replace Pacific Solutions and Malaysian Solutions with sensible solutions.

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