Australian Blueprint for Stopping Illegal Boat Crossings Could Work in UK
Alexander Downer, the former foreign minister of Australia, has praised Rishi Sunak's plan to send migrants to Rwanda as an effective solution to the migrant crisis in the English Channel. Downer, who played a key role in implementing offshore asylum processing on the island of Nauru, believes that this approach will deter smugglers and significantly reduce arrivals.
Offshore Processing: The Silver Bullet
In an interview with HOAR, Mr. Downer emphasized the importance of comprehensive offshore processing, where all migrants, including women and children, are sent to a designated offshore site. By implementing such a system, potential migrants would no longer be willing to pay smugglers since they would not be able to deliver them to the UK.
Rwanda: A "Much Nicer Place" for Offshore Processing
Mr. Downer, who now chairs the Policy Exchange think tank, also noted that Rwanda is a "much nicer place" compared to Nauru, suggesting that it could be an even more preferable option for offshore processing.
Rwanda Plan Pending Supreme Court Battle
Despite the potential benefits, the Rwanda plan is currently on hold pending a Supreme Court decision in the autumn. However, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has expressed his determination to address the issue of illegal migration and find a solution.
Australian Success Story: Virtually Zero Arrivals
Australia faced its own migrant crisis, with approximately 20,000 arrivals per year. However, thanks to a combination of offshore processing and other measures such as turning boats around, the number of arrivals is now close to zero.
While the UK government has started implementing various measures to address the Channel crisis, Mr. Downer believes that offshore processing could be the primary deterrent and lead to a significant reduction in illegal crossings.
