Labor’s year of failure on asylum seekers

Almost 23,000 asylum seekers arrived by plane and claimed asylum in 2023 under the Albanese Labor Government, the third highest number of arrivals in Australia’s history.

More than 62 people claimed asylum in Australia every day last year under Labor, an increase of 70 per cent on the previous year.

The asylum seeker population in Australia reached 108,978 by the end of 2023, according to the latest asylum seeker data published by Home Affairs.

Analysis of the data revealed:

• 1942 asylum claims were lodged in December 2023.
• 12,569 asylum claims were lodged in the last six months of 2023.
• For every one failed asylum seeker that Labor deported in 2023 another 115 failed asylum seekers joined the deportation queue.
• 32,347 asylum seekers have now arrived since Labor were elected.

Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Dan Tehan said Australians were still waiting for Labor to address the growing problem of asylum seekers arriving by plane.

“You can’t trust a thing this Labor Government says,” Mr Tehan said.

“Anthony Albanese promised no changes to the Stage Three tax cuts, and he broke that promise with the Australian people.

“Clare O’Neil said Labor was ‘cracking down on this problem’ but the problem is getting worse the longer Labor is in charge.

“Labor was asleep at the wheel when the criminals were released from immigration detention,
and they’ve been sleeping again as thousands of asylum seekers arrive by plane and claim
asylum.

“You can’t trust Labor to keep their promises, you can’t trust them to keep our borders secure and you can’t trust them to be tough on dodgy asylum seekers.”