Migration backlash a worry for Shorten

Bill Shorten is facing pressure from Labor’s left after Australia’s rejection of the UN global compact for migration.

Bill Shorten said he was “not fussed” whether the government did not embrace the global UN agreement. Picture: Getty Images

A backlash from Labor Left MPs over the government’s rejection of the UN’s global compact for migra­tion has piled pressure on Bill Shorten to reverse Australia’s position if he wins the next election, as he left open the possibility of supporting the agreement.

Labor Left MPs lashed the Coal­ition for deciding not to ­endorse the pact, which is non-binding and reaffirms the sovereign right of countries to determine their nation­al ­migration policy, declaring it “just appalling” that Australia had joined with the US, Austria, ­Hungary and Poland in “turning our backs on the world’s most ­vulnerable”.

The Labor leader said he was “not fussed” whether the government did not embrace the global UN agreement for safe, orderly and regular migration and could even “pursue the same action” if he had similar advice in government.

He did not rule out reversing the government’s position if he won next year’s election.

“Obvious­ly we’ll take the advice of our security experts on what we should or shouldn’t do,’’ the Oppos­ition Leader said. “When you talk about this, the big issues here are not a UN migra­tion compact, the issues here are when are we going to tackle the number of people here on temporary visas which give them work rights?

“The big issues here are when are we going to tackle congestion?

“I’m not going to lose any sleep on what the government said. If that’s the right course … if we’re in government we’ll get the same advice and pursue the same action.”

NSW Labor MP Stephen Jones said Australia could not demand regional co-operation on migra­tion if it withdrew from all inter­national agreements.

Queensland colleague Murray Watt told The Australian: “It’s very concerning to see Scott Morrison line up with draconian governments overseas on migration matter­s. Australia’s got a long and proud history of accepting migrant­s and refugees and we should honour that history.’’

Victorian Labor MP Andrew Giles, who was retweeted by his colleague and deputy Senate president Sue Lines, took to Twitter: “Just appalling to hear that Australia will line up with (US President Donal­d) Trump and (Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Mihaly) Orban in rejecting the Global Compact on Migration, and turning our backs on the world’s most vulnerable.

“We are better than this — capable of leadership, of supporti­ng hope over fear.”

The Prime Minister said his government would not “sign up” to international agreements it believe­d would compromise its “successful way of doing things”.

The compact was “inconsistent” with his border protection and boat turnback policies. The compact was meant to promote safe, orderly migration.

“We already achieve all of these goals,” he said. “We also believe that adopting the compact would directly conflict with importa­nt principles that have underpinn­ed our successful approa­ch.”

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the UN compact would have “undermined” Operation Sovereign Borders and may have been used by the courts to let more refugees stay in Australia.