The Greens have criticised the government’s approach to issuing humanitarian visas to Palestinians, taking aim at the “secrecy” of the process.
On Tuesday, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke revealed he had issued the first humanitarian visas to Palestinian families arriving in Australia, after almost a year of pressure from Greens and advocacy groups to grant visas that allowed refugees to work.
Since the October 7 attack by Hamas, the government has and granted 2,922 as of 11 September, according to ABC reports. About 1,300 of those with approved visas have made the journey to Australia.
There have been 9,865 visas granted to Israeli citizens while 255 visa applications were rejected over the same period.
Speaking to ABC’s RN program, Burke said he had met with at least a dozen Palestinian families in recent weeks and changed their visas.
“I’ve been dealing with some of the Palestinians on visitor visas who are here in Australia, some on visitor visas, some on bridging visas, and for some of the people who I’ve been meeting with, I’ve been transferring them onto humanitarian visas,” he said.
While Greens senator David Shoebridge praised the move, he was critical of the government’s “case-by-case” approach after Burke said at this point, the government would not be making decisions about the “entire cohort”.
“It’s good that we have a handful of humanitarian visas granted, but the idea that they’re only granted once you get an audience with Minister Burke like he’s some kind of medieval lord that is handing out gifts,” he told SBS News.
“I mean, that is not how government should work.”
Shoebridge called for a wider approach to those arriving in Australia, highlighting that unless you “get a secret audience with the minister, you’re left without the rights”.
SBS News has approached the offices of both Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Opposition home affairs spokesperson James Paterson for comment.
Why Burke’s admission reveals a significant shift in policy
Since the October 7 escalation, the treatment of Palestinian refugees has often been contrasted with the humanitarian visas that were granted to Ukrainians fleeing war in 2022.
Independent senator David Pocock questioned the Department of Home Affairs over their approach during May estimates.
It was revealed that, as of 26 May, only six Palestinians had been granted bridging visas, and no families had been offered humanitarian visas.
However, Burke’s admission that a small number of humanitarian visas have been issued to Palestinians demonstrates a significant shift.
“That’s the same humanitarian visa that the Ukrainians … have been on, and so I’ve been doing that,” he said.
“We’re doing all the full checks that you’d expect in terms of security checks and everything that gets done.”
Ukrainian refugees were offered temporary humanitarian visas on a large scale before 4,877 were put on a three-year subclass 786 visa that granted them access to Medicare and meant they could work and study.
SBS News understands that this is now the pathway for select Palestinian families; however, refugees have to be individually offered this option by the government.
Also, those offered humanitarian visas have their protection visa applications revoked.
Advocates welcome the move but push for stronger commitments
With limited rights on visitor visas, Palestinians fleeing Gaza have relied on the goodwill of the community and organisations like the Palestinian Australian Relief and Action (PARA).
Rasha Abbas, PARA founder and executive director, welcomes the government’s move but urged Burke to make concrete commitments to Palestinian families.
“While we welcome this visa, it is still a temporary visa. We would look to continue to work with the government to expand the humanitarian pathways and we would like to see a commitment to a solution to permanency here in Australia,” she told SBS News.
“The families were relieved that they will get the support but they are still quite anxious because it is a three-year temporary visa.”
She said with no option to go back to Gaza at this stage, the “continued uncertainty is still having an impact on their wellbeing”.