The divided, unstable, and illegitimate Liberal Government have broken their promise to the people of Macarthur by failing to deliver a new temporary sponsored parent visa.

The Liberals followed Labor’s lead during the 2016 Federal election by announcing their commitment of enhanced visitor visas for sponsored parents – so that Australians in Macarthur could temporarily reunite with their loved ones.
 
It has been two years and three months since the Liberals made their promise and a new temporary sponsored parent visa still does not exist.
 
The Government claims the creation of this visa is dependent on the passage of the Migration Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2016 – important legislation which Labor supports, but the Liberals have failed to bring on for debate in the Senate since October 2017.
 
Not only have multicultural and migrant communities across Macarthur had to wait much longer than expected for a temporary sponsored parent visa, the Liberals have proposed conditions completely different to the commitment made during the election.
 
The Liberals said in 2016 that sponsors for this visa would have to pay a bond – before Scott Morrison announced as part of his 2017-18 Budget a non-refundable fee of up to $20,000 if families chose the full 10 year visa option.
 
A new cap of 15,000 visas per year was also announced and that the new visa would be limited to one set of parents per household – forcing families in Macarthur to choose which parents or in-laws to reunite with.
 
Labor has written to the new Immigration Minister David Coleman demanding he explain why the Liberals have broken their promise to Australia’s multicultural and migrant communities.
 
“This Coalition Government is so focussed on themselves they have neglected multicultural and migrant communities across Macarthur – leaving parents apart from their children and some grandchildren having never met their grandparents,” said the Member for Macarthur.
 
“It’s time the people of Macarthur had a government that cares about the same issues they care about – rather than the illegitimate Morrison Government and their broken promises,” said Dr Mike Freelander MP.