Australia is preparing to detain tourists who overstay their visas under a new migration enforcement policy that the government says is designed to strengthen compliance and discourage people from remaining in the country illegally.
The measures come as Australia faces renewed political debate over migration, with the far-right One Nation party gaining popularity while calling for a major reduction in immigration.
The governing Labor Party has rejected suggestions that the new restrictions are a response to One Nation's growing support.
Under the reforms announced by the government, family members will no longer be permitted to accompany international students in Australia in the same way as under existing arrangements. The government will also introduce a ballot system for some working-holiday visas and increase enforcement against people who remain in Australia after their visas expire.
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Matt Thistlethwaite said tourists who overstay could be placed in immigration detention before being removed from the country.
Australia currently has about 77,000 visa overstayers, according to the government.
“Once the word gets around, 'hey, I overstayed on my tourist visa for a couple of weeks, I got picked up and I spent a couple of weeks in immigration detention, it's not a nice place, I'm going home'. Once that gets around, then we think that obviously that deterrence will ensure that people abide by the conditions,” he told broadcaster News24.
Thistlethwaite said people who no longer had legal permission to remain in Australia would face consequences.
People who don't have the right to remain in Australia will face a “consequence” and be removed, he added.
Government expands detention capacity
Immigration Minister Tony Burke said the government would increase capacity to deal with visa overstayers as part of the new enforcement measures.
The government plans to open 250 additional detention beds and deploy another 100 compliance officers to identify and manage people who have overstayed their visas.
The overstayers would be housed in different facilities from people held in immigration detention for other reasons, according to the government.
The move comes against the backdrop of Australia's long-running use of mandatory immigration detention.
Since 2015, immigration detention facilities have also held increasing numbers of people with criminal convictions awaiting deportation. That followed a policy change that made cancellation of permanent visas mandatory for certain criminal offences.
The government's latest approach has nevertheless raised concerns among tourism and refugee advocates, who say detaining visitors could have consequences beyond immigration enforcement.
Tourism industry warns of reputational damage
Australia's tourism sector has expressed concern that public discussion of tourists being detained could damage the country's reputation as an international holiday destination.
Erin McLeod, chief executive of the Australian Tourism Industry Council, said the prospect of detention could send an unwelcome message to overseas visitors.
“I don't think it does our reputation as a welcoming destination any good and can become quite damaging - tourism is an important part of the Australian economy,” she told AFP.
The council represents thousands of small tourism businesses across the country, many of which depend on international visitors.
Tourism is an important contributor to Australia's economy, supporting businesses in accommodation, hospitality, transportation, attractions and other parts of the visitor economy.
The government's challenge will therefore be to increase compliance without creating uncertainty among legitimate tourists and visitors.
Refugee advocates question legality and safety
Refugee advocates have also raised concerns over the government's decision to use immigration detention as a deterrent for visa overstayers.
Rebecca Eckard, director of policy at the Refugee Council of Australia, questioned whether detention could legally be used as a punishment for people who breach visa conditions.
“It is being framed as punitive to change behaviour. The use of punitive detention is not permitted under Australia's immigration act,” she said.
Eckard also pointed to longstanding concerns about conditions in Australia's immigration detention system.
“There has been a major problem with immigration detention,” she added, pointing to concerns raised by the government ombudsman over insufficient staffing and healthcare access.
The comments reflect a broader debate over Australia's immigration detention system, including questions about how long people should be held and the conditions in which detainees are accommodated.
Migration remains politically sensitive
The reforms arrive as migration has become an increasingly prominent political issue in Australia.
One Nation, led by Pauline Hanson, has pushed for significantly lower immigration levels and has gained increased support this year. The party's rise has intensified political debate over population growth, housing, infrastructure and pressure on public services.
Labor has denied that its latest migration measures are intended to respond to the far right.
Instead, ministers have presented the changes as an effort to improve the integrity of Australia's visa system and ensure that people comply with the conditions attached to their visas.
The government is simultaneously tightening several migration pathways. Restrictions on family members accompanying international students are intended to reduce the number of people entering through the student visa system, while a ballot for working-holiday places will regulate demand for those visas.
The crackdown on overstayers represents the enforcement side of that broader approach.
For the government, the central argument is that Australia's migration system depends on visitors and temporary residents leaving the country when their visas expire.
For critics, the use of detention against tourists raises questions about proportionality, legal authority and Australia's international image.
As the new measures are implemented, the government will face pressure to demonstrate that increased enforcement reduces overstaying without creating unintended consequences for Australia's tourism industry or exacerbating longstanding concerns surrounding immigration detention.