Australia Plans Detentions for Tourist Overstayers

Matt Thistlethwaite told News24 on Friday that tourists who overstay visas will be detained and removed. About 77,000 people are currently overstaying. He said once word gets around that overstayers spend a couple of weeks in detention — 'it's not a nice place' — then go home, that deterrence will ensure people abide by the conditions. Immigration Minister Tony Burke announced the policy Thursday, with 250 additional detention beds and 100 additional compliance officers, saying he wanted to show the government was 'in control' of immigration. Overstayers will be housed apart from other immigration detainees. Reforms also stop family members accompanying international students and introduce a ballot for some working-holiday visas. The government aims to cut annual net migration to 225,000 from about 292,000. Since 2015, mandatory visa cancellation for certain criminal offences has increased detention populations. Erin McLeod told AFP detention talk does Australia's reputation as a welcoming destination no good and can become quite damaging; tourism is an important part of the economy. Rebecca Eckard told AFP it is being framed as punitive to change behaviour, punitive detention is not permitted under Australia's immigration act, and there has been a major problem with immigration detention.