Immigration Detention Cost Recovery program.
The Liberal government has released plans to bring back an Immigration Detention Cost Recovery program.
The current proposal would see some detainees charged $456.23 per day, to cover their costs in detention.
Information so far indicates that the ones liable to this charge would be people awaiting deportation on character grounds, particularly convicted criminals who are not Australian citizens.
The Labor MP Kristina Keneally, has supported this policy and asked why the Liberals have left it this long to propose it.
This policy was actually originally brought in by the Liberal party in 2006, but was cancelled by the Labor party in 2009.
Maybe the Liberals didn’t try it again as they knew that Labor were against it.
But in 2022, they seem happy to bring it back.
What will this policy do?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said:
The Coalition, in its next term of government, would pass laws to chase foreign criminals for the cost of their immigration detention.
If you come and commit a crime in this country, and you’re not a citizen, you’ll go to jail.
When you get out you’ll be in detention, and then you’ll be sent home.
And, yes, we will seize your assets and recover your debts.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said:
Those facing deportation should be leaving the country, not challenging their deportation in court.
People need to consider very carefully, when they’ve come to Australia on a temporary visa as a privilege, and then violated our laws with a very serious offence, they should leave our country.
We don’t expect them to sue us and continue to try to challenge that after their conviction.