Crime rate among Labor’s 10,000 illegal arrivals three times national average

The last Labor government released more than 500 boat people from detention centres who went on to commit crimes including murder, rape and drug dealing.

The last Labor government released more than 500 boat peoplefrom detention centres who went on to commit crimes including murder, rape and drug dealing.

Government analysis compiled in time for the election campaign found successive Labor immigration ministers used special powers to release more than 10,000 illegal arrivals between 2010 and 2013 — with 503 of those going on to commit crimes. A rate of ­offending more than three times the Australian average.

“Revelations today that more than 500 foreign murderers, child sex offenders, drug traffickers and other criminals were released from immigration detention by the former Labor Government are deeply disturbing,” Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said.

More than 200 of those ­released went on to commit ­violent crimes, including eight murders, 98 assaults and 53 rape and sexual offences.

Among those released were Iranian Amir Darbanou, who was jailed for 21 years for stabbing his hairdresser wife Nas­rin Abek to death because she converted to Christianity, and brothers Ahmed and Mohammad Al Abbasi who were each jailed for five years for the rape and robbery of sex workers.

Scott Morrison’s Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has described the analysis as “deeply disturbing”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

“This happened last time Labor was in government and there is a real risk that it could happen again — the people who were in charge of Labor’s Community Release Program would be senior members of Mr Albanese’s Cabinet,” Mr Hawke said.

Former immigration ministers Chris Bowen, Brendan O’Connor and Tony Burke are all front runners to feature prominently in Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s cabinet.

“The Coalition has successfully cancelled or refused the visas of more than 10,000 foreign criminals. Given Labor ­released more than 500 criminals last time and there are more than 1300 in immigration detention now, Australians must ask how many foreign criminals will Mr Albanese release this time,” Mr Hawke said.

Chris Bowen, Labor’s climate and energy spokesman, was immigration minister from 2010-2013. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Tony Burke also held the portfolio in 2013. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Labor’s 2021 National Platform has vowed that “unlawful non-citizens will be subject to mandatory detention where they present a proven unacceptable risk to the community”.

But it goes on to say that: “As soon as the reasons for mandatory detention have ceased every effort must be made to ­remove asylum seekers from immigration detention centres through community detention or the granting of bridging visas with work rights.”

Mr Hawke said: “Mr Albanese also confirmed that if elected, Labor will weaken our border protection regime by abolishing Temporary Protection visas. This would be a green light to the people smugglers to restart their despicable trade.”

A Labor spokesman said it was wrong to compare the historical release of boat people to the handling of people in ­detention today.

“This is just another baseless and desperate scare campaign from a desperate government,” he said.

Originally published as Crime rate among Labor’s 10,000 illegal arrivals three times national average