Asylum support cuts blasted

A MOVE to cut support for up to 400 asylum seekers in the Australian community could be blocked in the Senate and has been slammed by human rights lawyers.

The Human Rights Law Centre and Asylum Seeker Resource Centre say about 100 people will be immediately affected by the Turnbull Government’s crackdown, but estimates the number could be as high as 400.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said he was seeking advice on whether the Senate could block the instrument to create a new visa that would cut $200-a-fortnight payments and public housing for asylum seekers.

“We do call on members of the crossbench and the Labor Party to support us in doing everything we can to stop this unspeakably cruel act through the Senate,” Senator Di Natale said.

“If this is a disallowable instrument, it simply requires a majority of the Senate to stop it. So the question is for Bill Shorten and Labor — will you end this cruelty?”

Human Services Minister Alan Tudge could not confirm the precise number of asylum seekers at risk of being sent back to Nauru or Manus Island or their country of origin, but said there wouldn’t be any further provision of taxpayer support in Australia.

“They’ve been prevented from working,” Human Rights Law Centre executive director Hugh de Kretser said.

“And now, completely out of the blue, with no notice whatsoever, they’ve been told tomorrow, you have no income, we’re taking all of your income away and in three weeks we’re taking your homes away.”

Labor immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann said the Turnbull Government had “sunk to a new low”.