Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Again we see the senator trying to make a cheap political point without going to the facts. I refer him to the comments made just the other day by Ms Erika Feller, the UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner, Protection, who is visiting Australia. She said, as to the real cause of arrivals here:

The instability in places such as Afghanistan and Sri Lanka does impact greatly on the numbers of people moving to and through this region, including Australia.

That is what the UNHCR’s senior representative said. There have been increases in the numbers of Afghans and Sri Lankans seeking asylum. Many of those have gone to Europe. I think the current numbers reflect that over 90 per cent of the Afghans have headed for Europe. We have had our share of Afghans fleeing the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. (Time expired).