Australia's opposition attacks immigration detention changes
Updated
![Under the changes, mandatory detention will remain for illegal immigrants and people who refuse to comply with visa conditions. [AAP]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/aus_detention_aap_file.jpg "Under the changes, mandatory detention will remain for illegal immigrants and people who refuse to comply with visa conditions. [AAP]")
Under the changes, mandatory detention will remain for illegal immigrants and people who refuse to comply with visa conditions. [AAP]
Australia's main opposition party has attacked changes to the immigration detention policy, calling them ad hoc and against the national interest.
Under sweeping changes to Australia's immigration system, announced by the government, compulsory detention will no longer be mandatory and children will not be detained.
The immigration minister, Chris Evans, says immigrants will be held in detention centres only as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time.
He says the government's new policy will see the Department of Immigration take a risk-based approach to detention.
Senator Evans says mandatory detention will remain for illegal immigrants and people who refuse to comply with visa conditions.
Unauthorised boat arrivals at Christmas Island and Ashmore Reef, will still be subject to mandatory detention for health, identity and security checks.
The opposition's immigration spokesman, Chris Ellison, says the policy hasn't been thought through.
"I think the weakening of Australia's strong immigration detention policy will send a clear message to the region that we are relaxing border control," he said.
Human rights advocates welcome decision
Meanwhile, human rights advocates have welcomed the government's decision to use mandatory detention of asylum seekers as a last resort.
Human rights lawyer, George Newhouse, says the policy change heralds the end of a brutal and uncivilised response to Australia's immigration problem.
But he says the government needs to make sure refugees understand their rights.
"When you have a vulnerable person who doesn't know they're entitled to a lawyer or who doesn't know to ask, they may still be at risk of deportation without legal representation," he said.
"I believe that a person shouldn't be able to be deported without actually seeing a lawyer."
