Refugee hoax

Letter to the Editor - Hobart Mercury (Piers Akerman editorial)
21 October 2009

Dear Sir/Madam

It’s important the Piers Akerman assertion (Not sorry for nothing, 19/10/09) that asylum seekers and refugees permanently settling in Australia receive more in benefit payments than Australian pensioners, is corrected.  This is simply wrong.

For starters, asylum seekers who have not yet had their protection claims decided have no access to Centrelink benefits.  Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme payments to eligible asylum seekers and allowances paid to people in community detention on Christmas Island are 89 per cent of Centrelink Newstart allowance.

This is in fact less than the Australian aged pension.

Once asylum seekers are granted permanent visas, they may gain access to benefits on the same basis and at the same rates as other Australian permanent residents.  There is no separate rate of benefit payments for refugees.

Sandi Logan
National Communications Manager,
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

19 October 2009