Labor's $255 Million Pledge: Boosting Security Measures for Released Detainees

By Moon Harper

Nov 27, 2023 05:55 AM EST

Boosting Security Measures for Released Detainees — (Photo : Unsplash/Maria Oswalt )

The Albanese government has made a significant commitment by pledging $255 million to support security measures that track freed people from indefinite detention. This pledge shows that the party is taking proactive steps to mitigate any risks that may arise from releasing these people.

The funds allotted are for security organizations that are in charge of monitoring the whereabouts and actions of people freed from detention without charge. The ruling emphasizes the party's dedication to maintaining public safety and preventing any security risks that might emerge from people who have experienced this kind of detention.

Operation Aegis

The Australian federal police and Australian Border Force have formed Operation Aegis to ensure detainees released following a high court ruling follow the stringent new requirements imposed on their visas.

"Hardcore Criminals"

This month, the high court made a decision that helped NZYQ, a Rohingya man without status, who was in danger of being held in detention permanently since no nation had agreed to take him in. Following the high court's successful challenge to a 20-year-old precedent, the government was compelled to free 92 detainees. The government has come under fire from the opposition, which claims it was unprepared for the ruling by the high court and was endangering public safety.

Since they could not be deported, some of the cohort-who had committed crimes-were placed in indefinite detention upon serving their sentences. Some were detained due to their moral character or for non-violent offenses. Even so, Peter Dutton, the opposition leader, called the group "hardcore criminals" on numerous occasions. Yet, labor approved changes made by the Coalition to laws it drafted that imposed strict standards on those who had been freed.

Funding Breakdown

A $255 million funding package to be split between the federal police and border force was announced by Attorney General Mark Dreyfus, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil, and Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.

The AFP will receive $88 million for "regional response teams and personnel to investigate breaches of visa conditions." In comparison, the Border Force will receive $150 million for more employees in "compliance, removal, and surveillance functions."

Operation Aegis will concentrate on monitoring the detainees freed following the ruling by the high court to make sure they don't violate the terms of their visas, which include tight curfews and ankle monitors. The funds will also be utilized to "increase in capacity to bring prosecutions" against violators of the terms. As part of the operation, federal agencies will collaborate with their counterparts in states and territories.

The action creates significant concerns about how to strike a balance between personal rights and security measures because it may harm privacy. These funds and the techniques used to keep an eye on people who have been released will probably be the main topics of public conversation.

The implementation of this commitment will be closely monitored to evaluate its efficacy in attaining increased security without jeopardizing fundamental civil liberties as the political landscape continues to change. The Labor Party's commitment to setting aside a sizable sum of money for this purpose shows that it understands the difficulties of releasing people from indefinite detention and will take proactive measures to resolve any issues that may arise.