The Guardian 14 June, 2006
New refugee bill opposed
John Heywood
The steps of Parliament House in Adelaide were the venue for a rally in opposition to the Federal Government’s new migration amendment bill last Sunday. Initiated by Amnesty International and supported by other refugee advocacy groups such as Justice for Refugees (SA), the rally attracted around 300 people who heard speakers from various political and social justice organisations denounce the proposed bill as inhumane and heartless.
If adopted by Parliament, the bill, which was introduced by the Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration Andrew Robb on May 11, will further tighten Australia’s already rigid and unfair immigration policy by ensuring all asylum seekers will be sent to off-shore processing centres while they await the processing of their claim for refugee status.
MC Sarah Hanson-Young from Amnesty International and Justice for Refugees (SA) introduced Don McMaster from JRSA who told those in attendance that the new bill must be stopped. He stated that the bill is inhumane and that like much of the Federal Government’s policy on refugees it contravenes various United Nations human rights policies, in particular those that relate to the rights of the child. He also suggested that, as they did with the introduction of the Pacific Solution, the Federal Government has failed in its obligation to meet international human rights benchmarks.
Among the other speakers, which included Democrats Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja and Labor Senator Annette Hurley, was a member of the Glenunga High School Based Student Activist Alliance, Jake Wishart. Mr Wishart made an impassioned plea to the audience to organise and campaign hard in order to challenge our "backwards" government on this bill. He finished with the promise that his fellow students would continue to fight for a better world whilst building the movement against these oppressive laws.
All of the speakers encouraged members of the public to write to Members of Parliament, particularly moderate Liberals, some of which have already stated their discontent with the bill. Amnesty International (Australia) has started a petition which can be signed on the web at www.amnesty.org.au
Readers with access to the internet might find it interesting to read the Immigration Minister’s sickening media release.