Last week the Labor government, in consort with their warmongering and anti-immigrant buddies in One Nation and the Coalition, passed a bill that allows the govt to turn away people from certain countries for 6 monthsāeven if they have valid temporary visas.
The law was rushed through after the US-Israeli war on Iran began and caused mass displacement of people in Iran, Lebanon and broader West Asia. These new powers can be used by the Australian state to turn away those who are seeking refuge from the wars waged between the ruling classes.
This law reeks of hypocrisy as Australia supports the war on Iran and has sent defence equipment to American allied nations in GCC. Australia creates and contributes to the conditions of war overseas, yet refuses to accept the responsibility for the people it displaces.
While this goes ahead, Trumpās yes-man Albo enjoys the spotlight for offering asylum to 7 Iranian football playersā5 of whom have withdrawn their asylum claims due to pressure and threats from the IR against their families back home. Meanwhile, 750 Iranian refugees in Australia have been waiting for over a decade, without the chance to apply for a permanent visa.
Moves like this by the Labor government, affect migrant workers on visa and workers from immigrant backgrounds, who have family in places where Australia is engaged in militarily. If unions do not care about these issues, migrants wonāt join unions. The future of unions in Australia will remain bleak, if a growing migrant workforce does not unionise.
Demands must be raised by rank-and-file unionists to defend working-class migrant and refugee communities against Laborās continued anti-refugee policies.
If you are a migrant worker, get in touch to learn how to organise in the workplace and unions toward an end to visa exploitation and anti-immigrant policies.