Pressure grows to end ‘double standard’ on Australian visas for Palestinians fleeing conflict | Australian immigration and asylum

Pressure is mounting on the new home affairs minister, Tony Burke, to offer more than just “lip service” to newly arrived Palestinians in Australia left on temporary visas without the ability to work or receive free healthcare.

The Palestinian community and refugee advocacy groups are urging the veteran Labor frontbencher to offer those fleeing Gaza a special humanitarian pathway like those offered to Afghans in 2021 and Ukrainians in 2022.

More than 1,200 Palestinians fleeing the war torn strip have arrived in Australia on tourist visas since the conflict began on 7 October after a deadly attack on southern Israel by Palestinian militant group, Hamas.

They are a fraction of the 7,000 tourist visas applied for by Palestinians in the 10-month period since 7 October. About 2,400 have been approved with more than 4,600 applications rejected as of the end of May.

The home affairs department told a Senate estimates hearing in May about 4,877 Ukrainians were offered temporary humanitarian stay visas for three years between 8 April 2022 and 31 July 2022. Fewer than five were rejected, the department told Greens senator David Shoebridge in a question on notice.

Shoebridge said the figures indicated “systemic discrimination” against those coming from Palestine.

“When people from Ukraine needed a safe place we quite rightly welcomed them and, even with very strict security assessments, managed to get thousands of people here safely. By contrast, the scale at which Palestinians are being prevented from coming to Australia is staggering and it’s unique,” he said.

In one of his last announcements as immigration minister, Andrew Giles committed $2.6m to Palestinian-led community groups for emergency relief and support for recent Palestinian arrivals.

But the Asylum Seeker Resources Centre founder, Kon Karapanagiotidis, said the government’s humanitarian response was the “poorest” in his two decades in the role.

“It is politics, it is discrimination, and it is a double standard,” he said.

Burke landed the home affairs and immigration portfolio in last month’s cabinet reshuffle. In his seat in western Sydney a quarter of voters identify as Muslim. A handful of Muslim political groups say they will back independent pro-Palestine candidates against Labor incumbents, including Burke, at the next election.

Alma*, a 45-year-old Palestinian-Australian living in the south-western Sydney hub of Bankstown, said the community was “extremely disgruntled” with the lack of tangible action on visas.

Grassroots charity groups, like the one Alma started with her family and friends, were supporting new arrivals, many of whom were traumatised and without financial means.

“All we ask is that they be given the treatment that the Ukrainians were given,” Alma said.

“To allow them to come to Australia and not provide them with any sort of support whatsoever, was absolutely disheartening for the refugees, and ludicrous for the people who are looking to support them.”

“When we voted for people like Tony Burke, and [Blaxland MP] Jason Clare, we voted for them on the premise that they will represent our beliefs and our ideas and our opinions.

“What happens to a politician who doesn’t fully represent their community? They will be punished at the polls.

“We’re over the lip service.”

Tourist visas can be given to those who show they are a “genuine, temporary entrant”, and have undertaken security and health checks. Recipients can’t work in Australia or access Medicare.

Ahmad Sawan, a lawyer at the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, said the tourist visas granted to Palestinians were “not fit-for-purpose for people fleeing a crisis, fleeing a war, fleeing death”.

Shoebridge said a new humanitarian pathway for Palestinians forced out of Gaza by the conflict must be opened immediately.

“Once people are here the government should provide them with the right to work, right to study, Medicare and basic social support, as a bare minimum. It is hard to understand why this was not done at the start of this terrible conflict,” he said.

Burke’s office was contacted for comment.

*Alma is a pseudonym to protect her identity for fear voicing her views will impact her employment.