SMH Home
 Thursday, May 11, 2000 Home > Page One > Article
[skip navigation links]

  News
  Page One
  National
  World
  Features/Arts
  Column 8
  Editorial
  Text Index

  Sport
  Sport News
  SportsToday
  Rugby Heaven
  League HQ
  AFL
  The Pavilion
  Olympics

  Biz/Tech
  Business News
  Biz.com
  Money Manager
  Trading Room
  I.T. News
  Icon

  Extra
  News Review
  Spectrum
  Stay In Touch
  Letters
  Weather
  TV Guide

  Sydney
  Visiting
  Weekends Away
  Performance
  Music
  Film

  Market
  shoptoday.com.au
  mycareer.com.au
  domain.com.au
  drive.com.au
  sold.com.au
  I.T. Jobs
  Classifieds
  Travel

  Services
  Advertise
  - print
  - online
  Subscribe
  - paper
  - e-mail

 -   PAGE ONE 

Plan may turn boat people to crime

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

previous | top | next  ]

 In this section
Costello's body blow to Telstra

Surplus fall may whip up rates

Spectrum sale tactics fail to connect with bush

A licence to print money, if the UK is anything to go by

Simplifying super is the Treasurer's next assignment

Rich 'angry dads' win big child support cuts

Six-year bond 'may be too long to work'

Surgery, specialist visits 'to cost more'

At 78, a successor on the horizon at last

Plan may turn boat people to crime

Funding's better but we need the best: Vietnam veterans

Peter One and only heir to top spot

Sophie's choice leaves a sour taste

A storm in a teacup? They can't be serious

No ticket to ride a Harley-Davidson in relay

Digital TV opens door to Web

Thin air sells for $2.6bn one day, free the next

Grace to a bikini disgrace

Watch out! China girls smash the party

Scan scam leak: radiologists at odds with Wooldridge

No salve for any reputations when truth is still hidden

For Waugh, real estate is money in the bank




Site Guide | Archive | Feedback | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2000. The Sydney Morning Herald. All rights reserved.