Australian Prime Minister tells failed refugees to go back to where they came from

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says failed asylum seekers should go home. Picture: Ray Strange

The Australian prime minister says failed refugees should return to their homeland, and shouldn’t expect financial support from the government.

Julia Gillard was responding to a News Limited report that thousands of asylum seekers, including women and children, faced being left without the right to work or financial support from the government once their refugee claims had been rejected.

If failed refugees, who are not allowed to work, decide to stay in Australia and seek a judicial review, the government may be able to revoke their welfare payments.

Ms Gillard said people who have had their refugee applications rejected should return to their homeland.

“Obviously that’s what we want people to do,” she told reporters in Brisbane today.

“In those circumstances for Australia, it’s not a question of support for these people, it’s a question of them going back home.”

Related articles

• Australia: Asylum seekers children to stay on Manus Island despite doctor’s health warnings (craighill.net)
• Australia’s Nauru asylum centre faces legal challenge (craighill.net)
• Australian Prime Minister blames asylum seekers for “Children Overboard” scandal (insong24.wordpress.com)
• Australian Prime Minister blames asylum seekers for “Children Overboard” scandal (nathanbarnhart63.wordpress.com)
• Julia Gillard can offer PNG one big thing – visas (asopa.typepad.com)
• Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott: Head to Head (theaimn.com)
• Vegemite sandwich thrown at Julia Gillard (telegraph.co.uk)
• Julia Gillard on 702 Mornings (blogs.abc.net.au)
• Sandwichgate, or just a naughty boy? (theage.com.au)
• Prime Minister Julia Gillard To Dine For SLAM (noise11.com)