Media Release

UK must apologise to young Shire travellers

Thursday 19th November 2009

Local Federal Member for Cook, Scott Morrison called in Parliament last night for the UK Government to explain why two young Shire holiday makers were detained, mistreated and refused entry by immigration authorities when they arrived at Heathrow Airport for a holiday and apologise for the distress they have caused.

In Parliament Mr Morrison spoke of the experiences of Natasha Wheeler and Justin Ali who in the past month were both refused entry and had endured a gruelling and humiliating ordeal at the hands of UK immigration authorities.

“In Natasha’s case, she was prevented from calling home for three hours on arrival. She was interviewed without a witness and without any recording of the interview. She was held in a cell with 6 men, during her 16 hours in detention and was denied access to personal items. She denies ever having received any written explanation for her refusal of entry, and UK authorities have been unable to produce a copy of such advice when the UK High Commission was asked.

“For Justin, it was 54 hours in detention and a plane home, even though he had a return ticket booked just 19 days later, had a job back in Sydney and other travel plans booked back in Australia.

“I believe both of these cases warrant further investigation by the Australian High Commission in the UK. We must also review our own processes into how we inform and support Australians and their families in these situations.

“While I respect the sovereignty of every nation on immigration matters, I believe that the UK government owes both Natasha and Justin and their families an apology for their treatment.

“Surely the strength of our relationship should have yielded a better outcome than what has occurred here. It is not right that young Australians are mistreated because of the economic crisis in the UK.

“Reasonable steps should be taken to avoid the risk of innocent Australians being incorrectly detained or refused entry—or being treated in this manner. We should do more to ensure that their dream trip of a lifetime does not turn into a nightmare, as it did for Natasha and Justin,” he said.

Mr Morrison said he hoped by raising these issues it would also encourage young people and their families in the Shire to be aware of the increased risks involved in overseas travel highlighted by Natasha and Justin’s case, particularly as many now embark on such trips during their gap year and the onset of summer.

“I would encourage young people and their families to talk about these issues in advance and have a clear plan for how they might react in these circumstances. This can be a very upsetting ordeal and it is important to know how you might handle yourself in this type of situation.

“People need to know what their rights are if detained and questioned by immigration officials. They should clearly state that the purpose of the trip is a journey. They should have and be able to demonstrate adequate funds to support their stay. They should not take any resumes or similar information unless they have a prior approved working visa. Make sure you also register your journey at www.smartraveller.gov.au.

“They should seek to have pre-booked accommodation when they arrive. They should also be aware that a return air fare six months out will trigger alarm bells with immigration officials in the UK.

“We should also look at what support is available to these young Australians and their families from the Australian government in these situations.

“We can and should do better for innocent young Australians who have saved their money and gone through all the hoops to have one of the best experiences of their lives,” Mr Morrison said.

To read Scott’s speech to Parliament on this issue click here