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Thousands of asylum seekers could be granted permanent residence under Labor

Under a Labor plan, around 30,000 asylum seekers who arrived illegally by boat under the Rudd-Gillard government could be granted permanent residency.

The plan is purported as part of a policy to scrap Temporary Protection Visas, with the Labor party saying those refugees currently living in "in a permanent state of limbo" in Australia deserve some certainty.

Those who arrived on 800 boats and were granted temporary three-year visas would be granted full work rights and have temporary measures demolished.

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten at a press conference  on Thursday, June 16. Source: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten at a press conference on Thursday, June 16. Source: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas


The border protection policy proposed under Labor has been described as “weak, equivocal and constantly changing” by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

“Abolition of TPVs reveals Bill Shorten’s weak border polices. It sends a dangerous signal to people smugglers that they’re back in business with a product to sell permanent settlement in Australia,” Mr Dutton reportedly said.

Liberal senator Mathias Cormann said: “Bill Shorten’s already going weak at the knees when it comes to Australia’s border protection policies.”

“Today we find out that Labor will remove one of the three major pillars of our strong border protection framework.”

For future arrivals, Labor does however reportedly still suppors the "turn back the boats" policy.


Mr Shorten told the media this morning: “There is nothing new in this story and you all know this.”

The Australian claims it is a position adopted in 2015 at Labor's national conference.

A Labor campaign spokeswoman said: “This is not new. Labor has made it very clear it will retain a joint policy of offshore processing and turnbacks."

“TPVs only apply to those already in Australia.”

News break – June 16