The Albanese Government abandons refugees in a race to the bottom on immigration
The Albanese Government abandons refugees in a race to the bottom on immigration | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news The Albanese Government abandons refugees in a race to the bottom on immigration 2025-03-26 The Albanese Government has abandoned refugees with a budget that breaks their promise to increase Australia’s humanitarian intake and adds hundreds of millions of dollars more to the cruel immigration detention system.
In a world that is facing increased conflict, this budget freezes Australia’s humanitarian intake at 20,000 people despite Labor having adopted a national platform to raise it to 27,000. Shockingly, the government is refusing to tell the public how much they plan to spend on deporting people to Nauru under their new Trump-like laws, but admitted they will only be “partially met from within the existing resourcing.” The budget did show Labor is spending more than half a billion dollars on trapping people in offshore detention in Nauru.
The government is also budgeting to keep offshore detention open over the next four years, showing no intention of ending the cruelty. Labor has budgeted a staggering $1.37 billion for onshore detention, an increase of $200 million from last year. While there was a small pool of funding for community-sponsored refugee places, the Albanese Government’s decision not to make these places in addition to the overall humanitarian intake is another breach of its national platform.
Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson on Immigration, said: “This budget sees the Albanese Government spending billions being cruel to refugees in its race to the bottom on migration with Dutton. “The $1.4 billion spent on privatised onshore detention and the hundreds of millions more given to bribe Nauru to be part of our cruel immigration system is not only wrong in principle, it is also money taken from Medicare, housing and climate action.
“Giving over a billion dollars this year to MTC, a global private prison corporation, to keep people in immigration detention because of visa issues, is a gross misuse of public resources. “The Greens will not join Labor and the Coalition in their race to the bottom on immigration." “We know that the structural problems in this country, like unaffordable housing and access to healthcare, are a result of decades of neglect and poor policy from Labor and the Coalition.
This has not been caused by people coming here for a better life and contributing so strongly to our community and economy. “Rather than billions spent on cruelty, the Greens are committed to a country where we’re proud of multiculturalism and our response to refugees and immigration is fast, fair and compassionate.” Facebook for the Australian Greens YouTube for the Australian Greens X for the Australian Greens Instagram for the Australian Greens Bluesky for the Australian Greens Privacy Members website Your safety Contact us Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action In your language 2025 policy platform Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Federal portfolios Federal media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Upcoming events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Green Magazine All news Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Members website State/territory parties Contact us The Greens acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
We acknowledge that these lands were stolen and sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. The Australian Greens Authorised by Gemmia Burden & Caroline Atkinson, The Greens, 1 Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Gungahlin, 2912 Site & copyright information Privacy Your Safety View this site in High Contrast mode We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience.
Find out more about how we use cookies and how you can avoid trackers online. Learn more No, thanks OK