The Asylum Crisis and Australia’s Response
Hundreds of people fleeing Gaza have recently arrived in Australia and applied for asylum as their short-term visitor visas expire. In October, the Australian government began granting tourist visas to Palestinian Authority passport holders escaping the conflict in Gaza.
Since then, 749 Palestinian asylum seekers have reached Australia, forming the second-largest group of onshore asylum applicants, following those from China.

Nasser Mashni, President of the Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network, emphasizes that Palestinians did not wish to leave their homeland but are seeking asylum out of desperation. He urges Australia to provide them with the same protection pathways it previously offered to Afghans and Ukrainians.
However, the federal government is yet to establish a dedicated humanitarian visa for Palestinians, unlike its three-year humanitarian visa offer to Ukrainians following Russia’s invasion.
Critics, such as Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson, argue that the government improperly granted tourist visas without considering their longer-term consequences. The debate intensifies as political leaders trade blows over whether the government’s response meets security and humanitarian standards.
Source abc.net