Senator Andrew Bartlett Deputy Parliamentary Leader and Democrats Senator for Queensland Australian Democrats spokesperson for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Rudd adopts Hanson policy to lock up refugees and turn back the boats
Queensland Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett has criticised Kevin Rudd's election eve attacks on refugees as a sign that Hansonism will live on in a Labor government, and that persecuting the vulnerable is likely to remain a continuing political tactic.
"Mr Rudd has tried to make a virtue about his Christian values, yet here he is advocating turning refugees back at sea or locking them up if they get through," Senator Bartlett said.
Senator Bartlett said anyone concerned at all about human rights should abandon the idea of voting Labor in the Senate and support a party, like the Democrats, who will be able to ensure that basic human rights standards and decency towards vulnerable people is not forgotten in our laws and policies.
"This disgraceful election-eve act of bullying and cowardice from Mr Rudd is a stark reminder of why we need a strong independent Senate to constrain governments who see political advantage in targeting vulnerable people."
"There is nothing 'tough' about attacking vulnerable people – it is what cowards and bullies do."
"By advocating a continuation of indefinite detention, Mr Rudd shows he knows little and cares less about the reality of asylum seekers in Australia.
"Mr Rudd says detention is an effective deterrent. This is both wrong and unlawful.
Mr Rudd's lack of knowledge of this fundamental point shows he is joining the ever-lengthening queue of politicians who are willing to attack vulnerable people for political gain.
"It is unlawful to use administrative detention for deterrence or punishment.
"Further, the numbers of boat arrivals did not drop at all upon the introduction of mandatory detention or as it was gradually toughened further by the Howard government.
“He is also simply wrong to say that you can't allow asylum seekers to 'roam free'. Thousands of asylum seekers already 'roam free' in Australia while their claims are determined," Senator Bartlett said.
Senator Bartlett is the only politician who has regularly visited the detention camps and Nauru, as well as having worked with hundreds of victims of Australia’s refugee imprisonment policies.
