The number of Palestinians applying onshore for protection has continued to grow, increasing pressure on the Albanese government over its decision to require them to come to Australia on visitor visas first.
According to home affairs department statistics, the number of Palestinians applying for onshore protection visas increased from 119 in May to 157 in June and 176 in July.
In July, a total of 2,236 applications for a subclass 866 onshore protection visa were made, with 176 from people from the “Palestinian Authority”, second only to China (261) as a source of claims.
In May, fewer than five onshore protection visas were given to Palestinians; in June and July, none were granted.
The Greens immigration spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said the government was “condemning Palestinians to a visa limbo for years”, and called for an “urgent humanitarian visa” for those “fleeing the genocide in Gaza”.
“The Albanese government is only offering people in Gaza tourist visas, and people fleeing genocide are not tourists,” Shoebridge said.
“We learned from Ukraine that when people are fleeing a war you provide them not only with work rights and support, but a clear visa pathway.
“Spending years applying for a protection visa is unfortunately the only viable option left for Palestinians.”
In April, Guardian Australia revealed that Palestinians were being refused visitor visas on the basis they “did not demonstrate a genuine intention to stay temporarily in Australia”.
In August the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, confirmed he was looking at ways to allow Palestinians who fled to Australia to stay longer, saying no country should send people back to Gaza in current circumstances. News reports speculated that this could include the creation of a special visa pathway for Palestinians.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, then called for a temporary pause on visas for those fleeing Gaza, attacking Labor for two weeks about supposed deficiencies in security checks that largely replicate arrangements under the Coalition.
In August, the federal government extended work rights and Medicare access to some visa holders from Gaza and Israel as it prepared to shift those who arrived on visitor visas since the 7 October attacks on to bridging visas.
On Monday the shadow immigration minister, Dan Tehan, claimed that the Albanese government “refuses” to explain if “everyone has had a security check”. As the Asio spy chief, Mike Burgess, has previously explained, security checks occur when an applicant meets certain criteria.
Labor is facing pressure over its handling of Israel’s military response to the 7 October attack on both its right flank (from the Coalition) and its left flank (from the Greens and the new Muslim Votes Matter group).
An alliance of pro-Palestine groups with 90,000 supporters, We Vote for Palestine, is also assessing New South Wales and Victorian local government candidates ahead of elections in October and November. The group aims to help voters choose candidates advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza or taking steps at the council level to assist Palestinian communities.
Since October 2023, 18 local councils have passed motions in support of a ceasefire.
Fatima Measham, the Victorian spokesperson for We Vote for Palestine, said: “There is no exemption in international humanitarian law for local governments. In fact local communities hold justice and self-determination as universal values and we would expect elected officials to either align with that or get out of the way.”
The Australian government has called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Gaza since December and voted at the UN in May to enhance the status of the Palestinian diplomatic mission, but has said it is open to recognising Palestine only as part of a peace process and has refrained from labelling the bombardment of Gaza as genocide.
In July the Refugee Advice and Casework Service said that “the absolute humanitarian disaster in Gaza” was causing “an increase in arrivals from Gaza and Palestinians seeking protection”.
“When people fear for their lives, they will do whatever it takes to find safety,” the nonprofit said.
Guardian Australia has contacted Burke for comment.
