Australia slammed for dragging feet on Saudi teen’s asylum plea

The Australian government has come under fire for taking ‘too long’ to process a Saudi teenager’s desperate bid for asylum in our country.

The Australian government has been slammed for taking far “too long” to process a desperate request by a Saudi teenager for safe passage to Australia, after fleeing her abusive family in the Middle East.

But Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said it had only been “48 hours” since they received the teenager’s frantic plea.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun captured international attention when she pleaded on social media with fellow passengers to hear her case for asylum.

The 18-year-old renounced Islam and said she feared she would be killed if she was returned to her “abusive” family in Saudi Arabia.

Her original request, to come to Australia, was allegedly being assessed by the government.

But Ms al-Qunun told SBS that her please was taking “too long” to be taken seriously by the Australian government.

“Yes, toooooo long,” she said, when asked about the length of time.

Instead, was offered asylum in Canada by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau overnight.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun begged Australia to approve her asylum bid, claiming she was trying to escape her “abusive” family.

When asked why the government was dragging it’s feet on the woman’s application, Minister Tehan claimed it had only “been 48 hours” since she had begged to come to Australia and the government was simply “following due process”.

“We have always said we have got to follow due process. And we moved quickly and followed due process,” Mr Tehan said this morning.

“That is what Australians would expect us to do. But we have said: ‘yes, we will look at this, we will move quickly’.

When asked why it took so long to process the young woman’s application, Mr Tehan countered that it had only been two days since she asked.

“It has been 48 hours,” he said.

“Obviously the Canadians have stepped in and I welcome the outcome that she will be safe.”

Mr Tehan on top of a park bench on Friday, while Ms al-Qunun awaited her fate, detained in a Thai immigration room. Picture: David Geraghty

It follows controversial comments by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who claimed Ms al-Qunan seemed perfectly fine in Thailand.

“Nobody wants to see a young girl in distress and she has obviously now found a safe haven in Thailand,” Mr Dutton told reporters in Brisbane.

Ms al-Qunun’s case was referred to Australia by the United Nations’ High Commission for Refugees who decided she was a genuine refugee.

However, The Australian reported the UNHCR withdrew its referral to this country, claiming Ms al-Qunun has said Canada was her first choice for a new home.

It was unclear for most of Friday evening what country the 18-year-old would end up in.

The Daily Mail reported Ms al-Qunun had already been granted resettlement in Australia — a claim The Australian said had been denied by government sources.

“I survived from death,” she said in an interview earlier on Friday, reflecting that since the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate in Instabul she has feared for her own life.

“I’m scared to be killed just like him.”

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun escaped from her family who she claimed were abusive.

In the interview Ms al-Qunun responded to claims she had manipulated social media to be granted asylum.

“I want life. I want to be independent,” she said. “How can they say this just because I do something they don’t like?”

“I want to become a strong woman, I want freedom of expression, of religion and politics.

“I want to live a normal life.”

The teenager expressed fears she would be killed if she was returned to her homeland.

The Department of Home Affairs has not confirmed that Ms al-Qunun will be resettled in Australia.

A department spokesman said: “The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement.

“The Department of Home Affairs will consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals.

“The Government will be making no further comment on this matter.”

Yesterday Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said there would be no “special treatment” in the assessment of Ms al-Qunun’s case.

“Nobody wants to see a young girl in distress and she has obviously now found a safe haven in Thailand,” Mr Dutton said.