The Age/14.10.2024
Heaven knows how this will play out – but at least the Labor Government is not demonising all Palestinians like Dutton does – Mark
Gazan refugees must be personally invited by Immigration Minister Tony Burke to apply for a three-year visa to stay in the country under Labor’s pathway for Palestinians fleeing the war, which does not yet offer an option for permanent residency.
The Albanese government will shun an approach that automatically offers temporary humanitarian visas to the whole cohort – estimated to be about 1500 people onshore – and will instead issue visas on a case-by-case basis.
The Department of Home Affairs quietly opened expressions of interest for Palestinians late last week, but the minister made no formal announcement as Labor again faced Coalition attacks in question time over security screenings for refugees from Gaza.
The online form will allow hundreds of Palestinians to register interest in staying in Australia, but Burke will be responsible for inviting them to apply for a three-year visa. This could provide a pathway to a permanent visa as they come to the end of their humanitarian visa.
The federal government’s plans are less generous than the Coalition’s approach to Ukrainian refugees, who were all offered three-year humanitarian visas by former immigration minister Alex Hawke.
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