Did you know that the government has an impartial council board to help them make decisions regarding asylum seekers?
Well… sort of. It exists. There’s just no one in it.
The Labor government set up the Minister’s Council on Asylum Seekers and Detention in 2009, to provide impartial advice to the immigration minister, currently Peter Dutton, on policies, processes, services and programs for asylum seekers.
It has been empty since December 2014. A spokesperson for the immigration department said that the immigration department was “working on relaunching the council,” which could’ve been useful to do five months ago.
It’s disconcerting to think of all the times the Council were essential in the past five months. It was empty during the review of alleged sexual assault claims at Nauru, which ended up being substantiated.
The opposition spokesman on immigration, Richard Marles, said:
“This government has never been big on consultation or transparency. From the outset it’s been their way or the highway. Nothing highlights this more than the fact the Minister’s Council on Asylum Seekers and Detention has been vacant since the end of last year.”
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young agreed, saying:
“It is hardly surprising that this government has refused to reappoint members of the advisory council, they are averse to receiving independent advice.”
If your feelings about this are overwhelmingly strong, here’s the Minister of Immigration’s email address: Peter.Dutton.MP@aph.gov.au
