Asylum seekers who attempt to illegally enter Australia by boat will never be allowed back into the country, even if they legally apply for refugee status or come as a tourist decades later.
The tough new laws will be introduced by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton when Parliament returns, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Australia is currently the only country in the world to mandate the strict detention of illegal migrants and asylum seekers. Anyone entering or found to be in Australia without a valid visa is locked up on the islands of Nauru and Manus.
The new lifetime ban will apply to all adults held in detention centres from July 19, 2013, including those who have chosen to return home. Children will be exempt.
“This will send the strongest possible signal to the people smugglers”, commented Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party.
He said the government was locked in a “battle of wills” with “criminal gangs of people smugglers” and the new law reflected the governing Coalition’s “long-standing” position shared by various parties.
“It will send the strongest possible signal to those who are seeking to persuade persons currently on Nauru and in Manus that the Australian government will change its policy and allow them to settle here. It is incredibly important that we send the clearest message”, he continued.
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