By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
IMMIGRATION and Border Protection Minister Scott Morrison has blamed opposition parties for the hundreds of asylum seekers living without work rights in Greater Dandenong.
“If not for Labor and the Greens recklessly voting against Temporary Protection Visas, asylum seekers – as part of Labor’s legacy caseload of illegal boat arrivals assessed as being owed protection – could have been living in the community with work rights and parity of benefits by now,” he said.
Mr Morrison defended the levels of support for soaring numbers of asylum seekers in Greater Dandenong – more than 2700 according to official statistics.
The rising demand has prompted Greater Dandenong council to lead a multi-council push for more federal support for on-the-ground services.
Mr Morrison said there were “numerous” federally-funded programs to reduce the burden on states, local governments and non-government organisations to support “illegal maritime arrivals” in the community.
He said the programs provided “suitable” support and care on a needs basis, such as income support, casework services and help finding sustainable accommodation.
Asylum seekers on bridging visas had access to Medicare services, he said.
Greater Dandenong councillor Roz Blades said she didn’t want to politicise the campaign by commenting on Mr Morrision’s remarks.
She said she was confident that councils would get a hearing from the Federal Government because “my dialogue with them won’t be a political dialogue but a needs-based dialogue.”
