The Coalition is accusing the immigration minister of “gross incompetence” as the government quietly backs away from a bill it tried to ram through parliament earlier this year.
The Albanese government is backing away from a once-urgent bill to jail foreigners who resist deportation when parliament resumes next week, as the Coalition challenges Labor to front up over the future of the controversial legislation.
The bill threatens up to five years’ jail for non-citizens refusing to go back to their countries and bans entire nationalities from visiting Australia if their governments won’t accept citizens being returned against their will.by an Iranian detainee who the government said was being lawfully held and could be deported if he co-operated with efforts to remove him.
Among a laundry list of recommendations, the Coalition wants the minister to consider the best interests of children when forcing anyone to co-operate with moves to deport them; give those affected time to seek legal advice; consider the impact on multicultural communities when banning nationalities from Australia; and broaden exemptions to allow extended family members of dual nationals to visit Australia.
Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the Coalition had made suggestions to improve the bill “and stands ready to work with the government to pass it, but there’s been nothing but radio silence for months”.
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