Coalition questions why Australia ‘ten times more generous’ with Gaza visas

Labor is facing increasing pressure on all sides to take stronger action on visas for people who have fled Gaza, with the vetting process still under intense scrutiny and the future of those already in Australia in question.

The issue dominated Parliament for the fourth day in a row on Tuesday, as the Coalition questioned why Australia was “ten times more generous” than like-minded countries in accepting refugees from Gaza, and continued to seek assurances that none of the 2500 visitor visas processed for the cohort since October 7 pose a risk to national security.

Meanwhile, as the government considers a permanent visa pathway for the 1300 Gazans who have actually arrived in the last ten months, the Greens have called for urgency to establish a humanitarian program for those who’ve escaped the conflict, suggesting Labor had been “spooked by Peter Dutton”.

The Opposition Leader told his Coalition colleagues on Tuesday there were real concerns Labor had potentially made the country less safe, and floated that if Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was “selling out national security” in order to keep a hold of the party’s western Sydney seats, that would be “unforgivable”.

Mr Dutton doubled down on his calls for the government to pause visa approvals for Gazan refugees until it could assure Australians that appropriate security checks were being done. While no one has been able to leave Gaza since Israel took control of the Rafah crossing in May, the Coalition believes that should give the government time to ensure the systems are operating in the national interest.

It came as the Coalition obtained figures which reveal 43 visas granted to the cohort were subsequently cancelled – although 20 were later revoked. It’s not known on what grounds the cancellations were made.

During a fiery Question Time, the Coalition’s immigration spokesman Dan Tehan asked the Prime Minister five times to put that figure on the public record. Mr Albanese failed to provide an answer every time, instead reiterating his confidence in the country’s security agencies.

Labor also again sought to reiterate it hadn’t changed processes since the Coalition was in power, but Mr Dutton attempted to mark out real difference, including questioning why the government hadn’t involved a third party country to help facilitate in-person interviews before any visas were granted.

“We have been guided every step of the way by our security agencies. What our agencies do is to constantly examine issues, that doesn’t stop when someone is granted a visa,” Mr Albanese said.

“(Then) our security agencies continue to do their job.”

Coalition analysis of international figures had earlier revealed Australia is far outranking its Five Eyes partners in accepting Gazan refugees, which the opposition said helped strengthened its argument that Labor was being too lenient.

While Australia approved 2922 visas for Gazans in the last ten months - 2560 of which were tourist visas - the United States approved 17, and the United Kingdom approved 168.

New Zealand has approved 158 visas, while Belgium, Greece and Turkey have accepted thousands of asylum seekers.

The Coalition’s home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the Government needed to explain why Australia was taking in so many more people.

“It’s up to the Albanese Government to explain why they have taken this very unique approach and why they appear to have rushed it. The reason why many of our partners haven’t accepted as many people as us is they’ve insisted on much more stringent checks than us,” Senator Paterson said.

“For example, Canada and France both require that you go to a consulate or embassy for an in-person interview. Many other countries insist on biometric testing. These are all things that the Australian government has waived as a requirement to come from Gaza, and they’ve got to explain why that’s the case.”

Senator Paterson said while Australia “has a role to play” in the humanitarian crisis, the fact Australia was “ten times more generous than our closest friends and partners” should raise eyebrows.

He said much of the disparity seemed to stem from the fact the Government had been issuing visitor visas — which attract less stringent checks — instead of humanitarian or other visas.

“The truth is, these people coming from Gaza are not tourists. They do not intend to return to Gaza. Understandably, they intend to migrate here for as long as they can and stay as long as they can, so why were they granted tourist visas? A requirement of which is you intend to return to where you’ve come from,” he said.

Mr Albanese had pointed to the fact former government had issued more than 1000 tourist visas to residents of the Occupied Palestinian Territories while in power, and reminded the Coalition Hamas “didn’t become terrorists on October 7”.

The Greens are also putting pressure on the government, demanding a fast-tracked permanent pathway for Gazans already here on visitor visas.

Earlier this month, there were early indications Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was contemplating creating a new visa class for the 1300 people in the cohort, but Greens’ foreign affairs spokesman David Shoebridge said it now appeared the government had baulked.

“There must be a humanitarian pathway for people fleeing Gaza. That means they have the right to work, study and rebuild their lives when they arrive,” Senator Shoebridge said.

“Instead, Labor is only allowing Palestinians to apply for a visitor visa and then refusing them, because they are escaping a genocide, not coming to see the Opera House.”