No money for welfare, plenty for misery
The Liberals’ $6 billion omnibus bill will turn student scholarships into loans, crack down on aged care and withhold welfare from new migrants.
But immigration minister Peter Dutton has plenty to bankroll the torture of refugees. UNICEF Australia and Save the Children have compiled a report on the economic cost of Australia’s asylum seeker and refugee policies.
The cost of boat turnbacks and locking up more than 32,000 men, women and children in onshore and offshore detention is huge. From 2012-13 to 2015-16, the government spent at least $9.6 billion, and plans to spend up to $5.7 billion over the next four years.
There are 30,772 onshore refugees, including detainees in detention facilities across Australia, on Christmas Island and in the community on bridging visas and undergoing residence determination. From 2012-13 to 2015-16, the government spent at least $5.5 billion and plans to spend up to $3.5 billion by 2019-2020.
The other 1,556 are on Nauru and Manus Island. Offshore processing costs $400,000 per refugee per year. The report calculates that for every refugee kept on Nauru and Manus, the government could support 12 refugees with housing, health care and basic living expenses in the community.
Instead, the money is spent on charter flights, Australian Federal Police and local police escorts, the building and maintenance of facilities, contractors, staff and supplies. The government of Nauru also charges Australia $3,000 per month for every person transferred to Nauru.
Over the last two years, an additional $275 million was splurged on regional activities that aim to “strengthen relationships” with other governments and on collaboration with international organisations that provide services for irregular migrants. The government expects to spend a further $240 million over the next four years.
The report acknowledges costs that could not be calculated – including myriad independent reviews, Senate inquiries, legal counsel and court fees in High Court cases and the repairs after defiant riots on Christmas Island and Nauru. Also unaccounted for are the people who have been recognised as refugees on Nauru and Manus Island who are no longer residing in the regional camps.
We should reject the Canberra doublespeak of “tightening our belts” while billions are spent torturing people. Our side does not need to compromise; close the camps and spend the money on health, housing and education.
