Labor seeks to prevent people from fleeing places like Iran
Labor seeks to prevent people from fleeing places like Iran | 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 Labor seeks to prevent people from fleeing places like Iran 2026-03-10 Today the Albanese Government has pushed for legal changes that are clearly aimed at preventing people from Iran from seeking safety in Australia.
The Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No. 1) Bill 2026 empowers the Home Affairs Minister to stop people who have a valid Australia visa from coming, if the Minister personally thinks that they may seek to stay in Australia and seek asylum. Most people seeking asylum arrive on temporary visas and seek protection when they arrive. This is for the obvious reason that if someone is fleeing an oppressive regime, they do not telegraph that beforehand.
This Bill is clearly aimed at Iran, with the Government not wanting people fleeing Iran because of the regime’s violence and Trump and Netanyahu’s illegal war to come to Australia. While Iran is the case today, the Bill is not limited to any one country and could also apply to people from Afghanistan, Sudan, Palestine, Lebanon, and other places where people may exercise their right to seek asylum.
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Leader said: “This Iranian visa ban is a new level of cruelty from Labor. They have offered hope for 5 people, but are stopping thousands more. “Labor backed this illegal war, supported raining down bombs on civilians, and now they are shutting the door on those same civilians.
You cannot get more morally bankrupt than that. “Changing the rules is a cynical move. It’s a policy clearly designed with Pauline Hanson in mind.
That’s not leadership, that’s weakness. “Labor has a terrible track record when it comes to refugee rights, but they have reached a new low today.” Senator Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson on Immigration said: “We know who this is aimed at by Labor, it’s aimed at the people of Iran, the people of Lebanon, the people of Qatar and the entire Middle East. It is clearly designed to be a Trump-like mass visa freeze.
“This is wicked politics from Labor, supporting bombing a country, then preventing people fleeing that violence from seeking safety here. Time and time again, it is Labor Governments that treat refugees with the most cruelty, and today they have hit another new low. “Parliament is being run by the war parties of Labor, Liberals and One Nation, who are rushing us into a new US forever war, cheering on the bombing, then shutting the door to people seeking safety from that same appalling war.
“On the same day Labor was trumpeting their granting a handful of brave Iranian football players protection they are trying to slam the door shut on any other Iranian seeking the same protection. “This Bill will allow the Labor Government to prevent someone's grandmother, who has a valid visa, from coming to Australia because their country might be too dangerous to return to.
People are coming here for weddings, funerals, work, to enjoy our community, they have had this snatched away by Labor in a race to the bottom with One Nation and the Liberals. “If ever you thought this war was about protecting the people of Iran, here is the clearest example why that is a lie. With this Bill Labor is actively working to prevent people from Iran from being safe.
“The only Iranian refugees Labor seems to care about are the ones Trump tells Albanese to care about.” 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.
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