Fed: Let East Timorese stay in Australia, says Premier Bracks

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2003
Fed: Let East Timorese stay in Australia, says Premier Bracks

MELBOURNE, Dec 9 AAP - A group of 1,000 East Timorese asylum seekers, many of whom
have been living in Australia for a decade, deserve a speedy answer to their applications
for residency, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said today.

Former Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock granted residency to 437 East Timorese asylum
seekers living in Melbourne's east earlier this year, but about 1,000 still have applications
in various stages of ministerial review.

Speaking at a reception for Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos Horta in Canberra today,
Mr Bracks called on new Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone to grant the remainder residency.

"They should stay here and while we have provided what support we can for them, it's
the federal government who will ultimately determine their fate," the Premier said.

"Since she has been Immigration Minister Senator Vanstone has made no public statements
about the East Timorese, who are still waiting to have their status determined.

"The East Timorese deserve to know their future - many of them have lived here for
eight to 10 years - their children were born here, they attend school here and they consider
themselves Australian.

"I call on Senator Vanstone to resolve these cases and provide some certainty to the
East Timorese community."

A spokesman for Senator Vanstone said the process was well in train and should be finished soon.

AAP ra/ce/cjh/de

KEYWORD: ASYLUM TIMOR

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