By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths Tue 3 Dec 2013
Photo: Scott Morrison says the Government will announce a number of measures to counter the Senate decision. (AAP: Dan Himbrechts)
Related Story: Labor, Greens block bid to bring back Temporary Protection Visas
Prime Minister Tony Abbott insists the Government will act to ensure refugees who arrived by boat will not stay permanently in Australia, despite the Senate blocking moves to restore temporary visas.
Labor and the Greens voted to disallow the reintroduction of the Howard-era Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) in the Senate last night.
Mr Abbott says the Government has a "whole range of measures" available to counter the Senate decision, some of which will be announced "shortly".
"I want to make it absolutely crystal clear today that this Government will never allow people who come here illegally by boat to gain permanent residency in Australia," he said.
"And my message to the people smugglers is you should not come because you will not stay.
"We'll have more to say shortly about measures that will ensure that Labor's attempt to sabotage Temporary Protection Visas is not effective.
"Obviously in the long run, we will seek legislative outcomes here, but it seems that we've got to deal with the short-term issue and we'll have more to say on that shortly."
Mr Abbott has accused the Labor Party of giving voters the "two-fingered salute" and says his Government will not be deterred.
"This is a Government which is simply not going to allow itself to be thwarted by the people smugglers and their allies in the Australian Parliament," he said.
In Question Time, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison attacked the Opposition for "teaming up" with the Greens.
And he reminded Labor MPs of reports that former foreign minister Bob Carr advised them to not let "a bit of daylight" between the ALP and Tony Abbott on the issue of asylum seekers.
"This is the Prime Minister Tony Abbott - this is what he looks like," he said, gesturing to the PM.
"This is the man you should be following."
Then, holding up a picture of Greens Senator Christine Milne, he said: "This is the leader of the Greens - this is not the person you should be following."
TPVs allow refugees to stay in Australia for three years before facing a review of their refugee status.
The Government says about 33,000 people who came to Australia by boat before Labor announced the offshore resettlement deal with Papua New Guinea in late July will be affected.
Opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles says Papua New Guinea arrangements have rendered the TPV regime redundant.
"If the Government is not intending to issue a TPV to a person who is yet to arrive in Australia, well then TPVs cannot act as an incentive or a disincentive," he told AM.
"The reality is that from the time that the PNG arrangement has been put in place, the whole policy of TPVs became redundant."
Decision a win for decency, Hanson-Young says
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young successfully moved the disallowance motion in the Senate and described the visas as cruel.
"All they did was punish the most vulnerable, the most genuine, the most deserving refugees simply for having dared seek protection for their families," she said.
"Refugees on TPVs often refer to living in fear of being returned home back to the dangers they fled in the first place.
Refugees on TPVs often refer to living in fear of being returned home back to the dangers they fled in the first place.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young
"This is a win for decency and a win for fairness."
Senator Hanson-Young has vowed to fight any similar measures the Government tries to implement.
"[The visas] separate families, mothers and fathers from newborns," she said.
"They keep children in detention, they stop children from going to school and this is just one more step in their toolbox of cruelty.
"We've put an end to TPVs today. We'll take on the next battle because fairness should prevail."
They were abolished by the former Labor government, but bringing back TPVs was one of the Coalition's key election promises.
It had allocated "a handful" of TPVs under a regulation and Mr Morrison said they were acting as a clear deterrent.
"Since Temporary Protection Visas were restored, over 180 people on bridging visas had already decided to go home, because they knew there was nothing of an incentive in hanging around for a Temporary Protection Visa," he told AM.
"The provision of that measure had already begun to have a very serious impact."
The Australian Human Rights Commission has also welcomed the Senate's rejection of the TVPs.
It says refugees should be granted permanent protection, and that several studies show the uncertainty associated with temporary visas can contribute to ongoing mental health problems
