The Government's push to release boat people refugees into the
community as part of its "mutual obligation" scheme would see them
turn to crime or the black economy, the Federal Opposition claimed
yesterday.
The decision to include boat people in the scheme - in which
people have to work for the dole or train in order to continue to
receive social security payments - was announced by the Treasurer as
a Budget measure on Tuesday night.
It is estimated the scheme will cost $4.9million to implement
over two years but will then recoup $2 million a year as the boat
people are forced to head back to work.
Yesterday, the Opposition's immigration spokesman, Mr Con
Sciacca, said it was crazy for the Government to make the refugees
take part in "activity tests" and fill out forms on which jobs they
were seeking as part of mutual obligation when many could not even
speak English.
The Government's new three-year temporary protection visas
designed specifically for boat people do not give normal rights
afforded refugees, such as housing and English language lessons.
The Government has been under fire from the South Australian
Government, which is picking up the bill for housing and other
services for boat people dumped in Adelaide after being released
from the Woomera detention centre.
"They're going to be driven underground, into the black economy,
where some of them might have to turn to crime," Mr Sciacca
said.
"How are they going to satisfy an activity test if they are not
armed with the basic [command] of the English language?"
Andrew Clennell