Australia will start arresting tourists who exceed visa deadlines

On Thursday, Interior Minister Tony Burke had announced restrictions on student visas and work holidays, claiming he wanted to demonstrate that the government “controls” immigration.

Burke indicated, inter alia, that 250 new posts will be created in detention centres and another 100 agents recruited to sanction people who remain in the country beyond the period authorized by their visas.

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite, today has stated that holders of simple tourist visas may also be placed in detention if they exceed the authorised period of stay.

“ We believe that this deterrence will, of course, ensure that people comply with the conditions of their stay in Australia,” News24 said.

The measure was criticized by the Australian Tourism Industry Council, which represents thousands of professionals in the sector. The organization's director, Erin McLeod, said she was afraid of the impact on the country's image.

In a statement to France-Presse, the person responsible warned that the detention of tourists could “become truly harmful”, since tourism is an important component of the Australian economy.

Human rights organisations also expressed concern, with Rebecca Eckard of the Australian Refugee Council, to consider illegal the “punitive” side of the measure and to warn of shortcomings in access to healthcare in detention centres.

According to the authorities, there are currently around 77,000 people staying in Australia although their visas, of all categories, have expired.

The Labour Government intends to reduce the annual migration balance to 225,000 people, compared to the current 292,000, in this country with about 28 million inhabitants.

On Thursday, Burke denied that this hardening of migration policy is related to the rise of the One Nation far-right party, to which polls attribute 25% of the voting intentions, arguing that the measures respond to the housing crisis facing the country.