Coalition policy likely to turn back genuine Sri Lankan refugees
There are fears that genuine refugees could be harmed by Coalition plans to send back Sri Lankan asylum seekers, by supporting their navy or intercepting boats with Australian forces.
The Coalition has vowed to turn back every Sri Lankan asylum seeker boat heading towards Australia, if elected to government. They plan to support the Sri Lankan navy to stop the boats and if all else fails, Australia will intercept the asylum seekers in international waters, sending them back.Refugee lawyers say this is against international law, and there are serious concerns about what this means for human rights.Australia is already in hot water, following the accusation by a UN body that the federal government has violated the refugee convention, with its detention centre in Manus Island.