ID :
129890
Sun, 06/27/2010 - 00:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/129890
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Australia `slow to protect refugees`
The majority of the world's asylum seekers are being protected in countries much
poorer than Australia, an analysis of a UN report suggests.
Just 0.2 per cent of the 10.4 million refugees listed by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2009 were protected in Australia, ranking the
nation 68th on a per capita basis.
The analysis comes as the opposition seized on the arrival of another boat of asylum
seekers at Christmas Island.
Navy officers from HMAS Wollongong boarded the boat northwest of Christmas Island's
Flying Fish Cove on Wednesday morning.
It was carrying 51 passengers and two crew.
Opposition border protection spokesman Michael Keenan said asylum seekers were
continuing to head to Australia because the Labor government had failed to take
action to secure the nation's borders.
"Only a change in government will bring about a change in policy for border
protection," Mr Keenan said.
But Refugee Council of Australia chief Paul Power said the figures in the UN report
showed that very few asylum seekers were heading to Australia compared with other
countries.
Of the 10.4 million refugees under UNHCR's mandate, the largest numbers were being
protected in Pakistan (1,740,711), Iran (1,070,488), Syria (1,054,466), Germany
(593,799), Jordan (450,756), Kenya (358,928), Chad (338,495) and China (300,989).
Australia took in just 22,548 refugees.
Mr Power said the UNHCR report highlighted that most of the world's refugees were
being protected in countries much poorer than Australia.
The report also shows that just 0.5 per cent of 1.18 million asylum applications in
2009 were lodged in Australia.
Australia was ranked 33rd for total asylum applications with 6206 lodged in 2009,
placing the nation 41st in the world on a per capita basis and 71st in terms of
economic growth.
The leading countries in terms of the number of asylum applications received
included South Africa (222,324), Republic of Congo (95,945), Kenya (87,879),
Ethiopia (45,763), France (42,118), Malaysia (40,063), Uganda (36,878), Ecuador
(35,514), Yemen (34,471) and Canada (33,970).
poorer than Australia, an analysis of a UN report suggests.
Just 0.2 per cent of the 10.4 million refugees listed by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2009 were protected in Australia, ranking the
nation 68th on a per capita basis.
The analysis comes as the opposition seized on the arrival of another boat of asylum
seekers at Christmas Island.
Navy officers from HMAS Wollongong boarded the boat northwest of Christmas Island's
Flying Fish Cove on Wednesday morning.
It was carrying 51 passengers and two crew.
Opposition border protection spokesman Michael Keenan said asylum seekers were
continuing to head to Australia because the Labor government had failed to take
action to secure the nation's borders.
"Only a change in government will bring about a change in policy for border
protection," Mr Keenan said.
But Refugee Council of Australia chief Paul Power said the figures in the UN report
showed that very few asylum seekers were heading to Australia compared with other
countries.
Of the 10.4 million refugees under UNHCR's mandate, the largest numbers were being
protected in Pakistan (1,740,711), Iran (1,070,488), Syria (1,054,466), Germany
(593,799), Jordan (450,756), Kenya (358,928), Chad (338,495) and China (300,989).
Australia took in just 22,548 refugees.
Mr Power said the UNHCR report highlighted that most of the world's refugees were
being protected in countries much poorer than Australia.
The report also shows that just 0.5 per cent of 1.18 million asylum applications in
2009 were lodged in Australia.
Australia was ranked 33rd for total asylum applications with 6206 lodged in 2009,
placing the nation 41st in the world on a per capita basis and 71st in terms of
economic growth.
The leading countries in terms of the number of asylum applications received
included South Africa (222,324), Republic of Congo (95,945), Kenya (87,879),
Ethiopia (45,763), France (42,118), Malaysia (40,063), Uganda (36,878), Ecuador
(35,514), Yemen (34,471) and Canada (33,970).
