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  8:05 pm AEST April 28 2000
Govt rules out scrapping controversial visa
AAP -- The federal government today ruled out scrapping its new temporary three-year visa for refugees who arrived illegally, despite pressure from state and territory ministers.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said the government was committed to the visa which had been brought in to combat the growing people-smuggling trade.

He also rejected claims from the premiers of South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland that the Commonwealth was trying to shift the burden of providing services to refugees onto the states.

"I want to make very clear that we will not suspend this visa policy," Mr Ruddock said after a ministerial council meeting on immigration in New Zealand.

"That would only encourage illegal entrants and criminals and we will not back away from measures designed to act as a strong disincentive to illegal travel."

The government was committed to fighting the crime of people- trafficking which had resulted in more than 3,600 boat people arriving in the past 10 months, he said.

Mr Ruddock said the government would meet international obligations in providing basic services to temporary protection visa (TPV) holders who arrived unlawfully.

They would be entitled to work, and if they met strict criteria would be eligible for some government assistance known as the special benefit, rent assistance and family allowance.

They would also be covered by Medicare.

But they would not be given the resettlement services afforded to other refugees who applied for protection under the humanitarian program.

Mr Ruddock said there was no expectation the states would provide those services and he was disappointed some states had indicated they would offer help to the refugees.

"I cannot understand why they would provide the additional services to the holders of TPVs and disadvantage other needy people in their community," he said.

"It undermines the strong signal the Commonwealth is sending to people traffickers and people who would engage their services."

Federal opposition immigration spokesman Con Sciacca has attacked the government for not providing English-language training, as the refugees would have little hope of getting a job.
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