78 In May 2020, more than 180 Australian community organisations issued a joint call for the Government to ensure all people have access to Medicare, and for the eligibility criteria for the unemployment benefit payment to be extended to bridging visa holders currently excluded from financial support. 141 79 Community concerns over the public health risk associated with failing to support all people in Australia during this crisis are not unfounded. Evidence suggests that when people lack the ability to pay for food or rent, they are likely to move into overcrowded housing, which poses a greater risk for COVID-19 infection. 142 80 Undocumented workers or those on insecure temporary visas (including stateless persons) are also much less likely to seek medical help, even if they are unwell, for fear of being reported to immigration authorities.143 81 Access to medical care is further complicated by the fact that many asylum seekers are excluded from Medicare benefits.144 According to RCA, people without Medicare cards are likely to face significant obstacles to testing and treatment.145 82 As noted by Robertson, Australia cannot afford to ignore the needs of temporary visa holders, including stateless persons, in the national response to COVID-19.146 Ensuring all members of the community, including stateless persons, can stay safe and are financially supported is consistent with good public health policy.147 Recommendations 83 Based on the above analysis, the co-submitting organisations urge reviewing States to make the following recommendations to Australia: (a) Fully promote, respect, protect and fulfil its obligations towards stateless persons and the right to a nationality under international human rights law; (b) Develop and introduce a legislative statelessness determination procedure, ensuring that the procedure is fair, effective and accessible to all persons in Australia regardless of their legal status. This includes funded access to interpreting services and legal support. The procedure should comply with international standards of due process and follow the procedural safeguards outlined in UNHCR’s Handbook on Protection of Stateless Persons; 141 Refugee Council of Australia, ‘Open Letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison – Nobody Left Behind’ (Web Page, 7 May 2020) <https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/open-letter-covid/ >. 142 Katie Robertson, ‘What About Those Left Out by the Stimulus Package?’ Pursuit (7 May 2020) <https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/what-about-those-left-out-by-the-stimulus-package>; Bianca Hall and Angus Thompson, ‘Plea for 1.1 Million on Temporary Visas as Expert Warns of Public Health Disaster’, Sydney Morning Herald (online, 4 May 2020) <https://www.smh.com.au/national/plea-for-1-1-million-on-temporary-visas-as-expert-warns-of-public-health-disaster-20200430p54op9.html >. 143 Ibid. 144 Katie Robertson, ‘What About Those Left Out by the Stimulus Package?’ Pursuit (7 May 2020) <https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/what-about-those-left-out-by-the-stimulus-package>. 145 Refugee Council of Australia, ‘Open Letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison – Nobody Left Behind’ (Web Page, 7 May 2020) <https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/open-letter-covid/ >. 146 Katie Robertson, ‘What About Those Left Out by the Stimulus Package?’ Pursuit (7 May 2020) <https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/what-about-those-left-out-by-the-stimulus-package>. 147 Ibid. 17

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