THE HON RICHARD MARLES MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION

MEMBER FOR CORIO

MICHELLE ROWLAND MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CITIZENSHIP AND MULTICULTULRALISM

SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS

MEMBER FOR GREENWAY

MEDIA RELEASE

VICTORY ON NON-CONTRIBUTORY VISAS

Labor welcomes the disallowance of the Abbott Government’s callous move to abolish the non-contributory visa and other family visa categories in the Senate today.

Under the Abbott Government’s cruel cuts to family visas, tens of thousands of families would have had to pay up to a reported $125,000 if they ever want to be reunited with family members.

Today Labor voted to open the door on family visas helping communities across Australia reunite with their families. The Abbott Government maintained its opposition to these important visas.

This comes after the Abbott Government opposed Labor’s disallowance motion in the House of Representatives earlier in the year.

Labor has always recognised how important these visas are to families on low and middle-incomes and this is great news for many families right around the country.

THURSDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2014