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PRIME MINISTER

FOR .MEDIA I ?  ÃÂ¶  SUNDAY JULY 27 1980

ELECTORATE TALK

Tonight I would like to mention some of the important initiatives  the Government has taken recently in Immigration and Ethnic Affairs

On the one hand, there is a need to maintain a strong and viable  Immigration programme.which meet Australia's needs for skilled  manpower and satisfies the desires of existing residents to be  re-united with members of their families.

But we also need to ensure that this inflow of migrants is  controlled in fairness, both to those seeking entry to Australia  and to our residents. Our recent initiatives have sought to  reconcile both these objectives. We are making it easier for relatives and friends of Australia

to migrate if they are assured of support here; this is being  done through a relaxation of our migrant entry requirements  announced by the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Ian Macphee in May this year.

At the same time, we are taking action to curb future illegal  immigration by removing its principal incentive - the possibility  of later obtaining the right of legal permanent residence here.

In deciding on these initiatives the Government had to face the  fact that Australia already has many thousands of illegal  immigrants.  .  .  Â·  '  .

Their numbers have been building up over a period of years but  particularly since the "easy visa system" for tourists was  introduced in 1973.

This system was widely abused and was later abandoned. .

But, for course, by then many illegal migrants were already  here. .  Â·

No-one could realistically suggest that we should seek out, ' detain and deport every illegal immigrant in Australia.

Many have been here for some years and have established themselves  successfully.

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Others have close family ties which cannot be ignored.

At the same time the Government believes that people who were  here legally,  but temporarily should not be treated less  favourably than those who were here illegally.

Anyone who arrived in Australia before 1 January 1980, whether  legally or illegally, is eligible to apply under what is  called the "regularisation of status programme" and will be  approved unless he or she has serious health or character  problems.

I am pleased to say that the English language and ethnic media  - press,  radio" and television - have given strong editorial —  and other support to the programme.

Ethnic community leaders have also lent their weight.

By last week, just over a month since the date that the  programme was announced, more than 11,500 enquiries and  5,000 applications had already been made to the Department .   of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. _

This is an excellent response and, as the opportunity to apply  remains open until 31 December this year, it gives every  indication of being a most successful! initiative.

Reaching people who are eligible to apply is a very complex  task and it requires the fullest possible support from other  sections of the community. Â·

Even when they learn about the opportunity to become legal  permanent residents,  many of these people are afraid to come  forward because they fear that, in some way, it may be a trap  to lure them into the open so that they can be seized, gaoled

and deported. .

For these people I have a simple, direct message: this is not  a trap.

The Government is not engaged on some sort of massive deportation  exercise.

This would be neither effective nor -  just.

Indeed, the Australian community would be outraged if any  government attempted deception of that kind. .  Â·

The first person illegally living in Australia to come forward Â·..  was a young Greek girl living in Goulburn, New South Wales, Jenny Giannopoulos.

You may have seen television interviews with her on the day  when she was told she was approved.

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Her relief and happiness were apparent as was her concern  to encourage others,  by her example, to come forward.

Many have already done so and I hope that many more will .   follow.

The programme is not just something of beneift to persons Ã¢ÂÂ  illegally in Australia.

People who were here legally can also benefit from it.

I am particularly pleased, therefore,  that one of the greatest __  sportsmen of all time,  a man whose name is a household word in  this country as it is in his homeland, the West Indies, has  agreed to place his own considerable personal prestige behind  the programme.

I refer to Sir Garfield Sobers who has become the firstfperson  legally in this country approved under the new arrangements.

Between the young Greek girl illegally here and the distinguished  international sportsman, there are many thousands of other  cases each of which would be a story in itself.

The Government is determined to legalise their status as  quickly and as simply as possible unless there are very grave  reasons indeed for not doing so.

In fact, no case will be rejected until my colleague, the  Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, has personally  considered all the circumstances of the case.

I also want particularly to stress that from the moment they  are granted permanent residence under the programme, people have  the same rights as any other resident of Australia.

They will have the same right to sponsor relatives and friends.

They will have the same right, after three years' legal..residence  here,  to apply for Australian citizenship.

They will have the same rights and access to the post-arrival  settlement services which we have been developing and extending  to assist newcomers.

The task of settling people in this country is not complete when  a migrant arrives or when someone is granted change of status;,  this is only the beginning.  Â·  Â·

We have introduced, extended and improved a wide range:;of  settlement services for migrants in order to help resolve the  problems inevitable in making one1s way in a new country and  to reinforce their prospects of success - economically, socially

and culturally.

This action flows from the Galbally Report which we commissioned,  accepted in full and implemented promptly and effectively.

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But I turn again, as one must, from these broader national  purposes to the individuals who have lived and are living  among us in unnecessary apprehension because they have entered

here illegally or failed to leave when their visas expired.

I urge them to come forward.

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