By Joy Connor Chair BMRSG 2018 -2019 saw an increase in aggressive negative rhetoric towards our asylum seeker friends. It saw the end of hope for a more compassionate policy for several years. In the eighteenth year of our existence, the AGM was a time to revisit what keeps us going: the vision of a caring, inclusive community that starts with affirming each other. We affirmed all the hardRead more
Independent Member for Clark, Andrew Wilkie, re-introduced the Refugee Protection Bill 2019 to Parliament this morning. It was seconded by independent MP Dr Helen Haines. “Confining people for an indefinite period of time, whether it be on Christmas Island, in Nauru or on Manus, was never a lawful, ethical or affordable policy. It’s grossly inhumane,Read more
Despite suffering under Australia’s soul-destroying indefinite detention regime, one young asylum seeker who has been locked up for years has developed a veggie patch, improving everyone’s diet and contributing to OZ HARVEST a huge box of fresh carrots for the needy.Read more
BMRSG’s submission as to why we do not support this bill. “We are concerned that this bill will slow the evacuation of seriously ill people from Manus and Nauru to Australia for specialist treatment thus exacerbating their disorders. Doctors and medical personnel must always be able make the decision for rapid medical evacuation in a society which values human life.
The previous system involved many levels of bureaucracy and constant court battles to enable medical transfers, an expensive and time wasting business.”
This is not a defeat, this is a call to action for us. Our job is not to give up but to build something better starting today.
We will only fight harder for people seeking asylum and be even more fearless. We can’t let this break us or even bend our determination, too many refugees lives depend on us coming together leading with love and direct action now.
Read where we can start and one letter written the day ofter the election result.Read more
After the latest suicide attempt at Villawood I rang Susan Templeman’s Office to let her know that we were all deeply concerned at the mounting number of suicides and attempted suicides caused by indefinite detention policies. Through her office manager she expressed her deep concern but said that, as an opposition MP and a known supported of refugees, her voice makes little difference without direct calls from the public to the Ministers concerned. BCC her in emails.
Read more to get addresses and see sample letters.Read more
