Ian McPhedran Courier Mail

26nov01

MIGRANTS arriving in Australia illegally should not be subject to the same penalties as people smugglers, renegade Labor MP Mark Latham said yesterday.

But his call for the "hard line" against illegal migration to be continued is a departure from the Opposition's new compassionate approach to boatpeople.

Mr Latham, the shadow assistant treasurer, conceded people arriving illegally were not in the same criminal class as people smugglers.

The western Sydney MP wasted no time venturing out of his portfolio area yesterday and buying into the controversial issue of border protection.

He said in Labor's former heartland of western Sydney people opposed illegality but made the distinction between illegal and genuine refugees.

"There is compassion for genuine refugees, but there is no compassion for people smugglers and racketeers."

Mr Latham said Labor had to recognise that protecting working people by blocking illegal behaviour was defending the rights and aspirations of its constituents.

Opposition Leader Simon Crean signalled a significant softening of Labor's support for the hardline Howard Government policy on boatpeople.

Mr Crean said asylum seekers should not be typecast as "illegals".

"Don't call them criminals, don't call them illegals until you know the facts," he said.

"If they are genuine refugees what I argue is you have to be compassionate."

Mr Crean said compassion was an important part of a just society.

"I know how easy it is to play to prejudice and play to fear, John Howard did it in the last election."

New Opposition spokeswoman on immigration and population, Victorian MP Julia Gillard, said people who arrived without proper papers committed an illegal act.

"The next question is an explanation and if they are genuine refugees they should be treated as such," she said.

She said she would take a step back from the partisan debate about boat people and look at the wider issues of population.

"My view is have a debate, work with those with views and expertise including the business community, environmentalists and regional communities."

Ms Gillard said she would hold the Government accountable for its costly and ineffective Pacific solution on boatpeople.