Refugee advocacy groups have voiced their concerns about Scott Morrison becoming the 30th prime minister of Australia.
Mr Morrison served as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection from 2013-2014, where he launched Operation Sovereign Borders (or colloquially, the "stop the boats" policy) to curtail immigration and people smuggling to Australia.
The Coalition has maintained the controversial offshore policy is designed to deter people from embarking on treacherous sea journeys, and thus saves lives.
But Refugee Action Coalition spokesperson Ian Rintoul told SBS News Mr Morrison "has a very black record as immigration minister", presiding over "horrors" in offshore detention facilities.
He pointed to the case of Iranian asylum seeker Hamid Khazaei on Manus Island, who died a slow and painful death in 2014 after contracting a treatable infection on his leg at the then Australian-run detention centre.
"[Mr Morrison] used anti-refugee policies to build domestic support," he said.
"He's built his reputation in the way [former Minister for Home Affairs] Peter Dutton did, on extremely harsh policies towards refugees. Scott Morrison was the Peter Dutton on of the day."
Refugee groups alarmed about Morrison
Refugee advocacy groups have voiced their concerns about Scott Morrison becoming the 30th prime minister of Australia.
Mr Morrison served as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection from 2013-2014, where he launched Operation Sovereign Borders (or colloquially, the "stop the boats" policy) to curtail immigration and people smuggling to Australia.
The Coalition has maintained the controversial offshore policy is designed to deter people from embarking on treacherous sea journeys, and thus saves lives.
But Refugee Action Coalition spokesperson Ian Rintoul told SBS News Mr Morrison "has a very black record as immigration minister", presiding over "horrors" in offshore detention facilities.
He pointed to the case of Iranian asylum seeker Hamid Khazaei on Manus Island, who died a slow and painful death in 2014 after contracting a treatable infection on his leg at the then Australian-run detention centre.
"[Mr Morrison] used anti-refugee policies to build domestic support," he said.
"He's built his reputation in the way [former Minister for Home Affairs] Peter Dutton did, on extremely harsh policies towards refugees. Scott Morrison was the Peter Dutton on of the day."
(See the complete story at https://www.sbs.com.au/news/very-black-record-refugee-groups-alarmed-abo...)