The Australian Greens and their policies.


Greens pledge to increase refugee intake



The Greens have released their election policy on refugees, which provides for an increase of 20,000 in the annual refugee intake.

The Green would also end off-shore processing and ensure no children were held in detention.

They say Australia's refugee intake has dropped to 6.6 per cent of total migration, the lowest in 35 years.

Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, says asylum seekers have little option but to travel by boat.

"We know that numbers of people who are seeking rides on boats from people smugglers from Indonesia and Malaysia are coming because they've already been granted refugee status by the UNHCR, and have no other pathway to actually seek freedom because Australia is not resettling enough of these people," she said.

The Greens want to close the Christmas Island detention centre and instead establish community reception centres in mainland cities to conduct health and security checks on asylum seekers.

Senator Hanson-Young says their policy is practical and humane.

"What a sad time it is that .... the notion and true values of a fair go, looking after the little guy, ensuring that we treat our fellow human beings with compassion has all been thrown out the window, because the major parties are playing politics with the lives of vulnerable people."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/09/2949 469.htm?section=justin


Will logical policies like this help the Greens secure a position in the House of Reps?

And while 'most' people will agree with not locking children up in detention...the problem is...'off-shore' processing of 'refugees' was in fact designed to stop illegal refugees from being able to 'escape' detention centres...and join the population...

So having 'on-shore' processing centres allows the 'refugees', or dodgy immigrants the chance to escape into the country...and disappear...

The Greens are the only party in this country that isn't preying on the misery of the dispossessed, tortured and abused.
The simple facts are that the small amount of asylum seekers arriving here by boat have been used as political pawns ever since Howard stole the idea from the far right extremist minority, overblew the issue and introduced it into mainstream politics.
The politics of race driven hysteria and fear have been in vogue ever since it was introduced to swing votes by Howard and now both major parties have proven that they are no better than each other.
Labor and the Coalition have hit rock bottom and now the Greens are the only alternative!
It is plain and simple..it would take 30 yrs to fill all the seats at the MCG with asylum seekers if they continue to arrive at the present rate.
That is a drop in the ocean and is not in the top 100 of all the major issues Australia is facing.

Quote:


We've got more to worry about with illegal visa overstayers and they're here by the thousands. How many get caught unless they leave the country? Very few I presume.

Quote:


I doubt that will change anytime soon. The two major parties are firmly entrenched, but the Greens are growing slowly and steadily and people are just getting sick of the lies told by both Liberal and Labor.

You can count on the honesty of the Greens and they are conservationists and humanitarians. You don't have to like all their policies but they are directed towards making life more tolerable for future generations.

It will be a sad day when Bob Brown retires.

The Greens are the only party that doesn't knife their leader based on media driven opinion polls 

What percentage of the vote do the Nationals get?

Quote:


It is not because of our preferential voting system. It has nothing to do with that. In fact, when the Greens do occasionally get a lower house seat, it is only because of the preferential system, not despite it.

The reason is because the lower house has electorates with a single representative. Unless you get around this, no vote counting system will allow minor candidates to get in. The Nationals get in because their support base is highly concentrated, so they are the major party in many regions.

Soren wrote on Jul 18^th, 2010 at 11:08am:


I don't know why - the Greens often split their preferences between the 2 major parties.

Quote:


Yes that is true. The Greens are spread out all over the place unfortunately.