letter to Anthony Albanese MP on Labor Party policy on Asylum Seekers

_{Dear Mr Albanese,}

_{I have been a Labor voter for over 50 years but, along with many others, can no longer cast any future vote for your party so long as your current policies are in place. The reason for this centres on Labor Party policy on asylum seekers.}

_{In your recent  speech you reiterate the policy line that no asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat will ever be resettled in this country. You also state that you support present government policy of offshore detention on Nauru and Manus Islands and that you do not envisage putting a time limit for asylum seekers currently held in offshore detention.}

_{It appears that asylum seekers arriving by air , whether or not they have valid  visas , will be received into Australia but those arriving by boat will not. Why should our response to asylum seekers be dependent on their mode of transport to our shores ?}

_{Under international law it is lawful  to seek asylum, regardless of the method of transport deployed to enter the country. Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that ‘everyone has the right to seek asylum from persecution’. Furthermore Australia is a signatory to the Refugee Convention which states that “It is legal to enter a country for the purpose of seeking asylum”. The Convention recognizes the right of people to seek asylum “regardless of how they arrive in another country”.}

_{Statistics over many years have shown that only 45% of asylum seekers arriving by air have proved to be genuine refugees .  Many more – around 90%  of  those arriving by boat have been found to be genuine refugees.}

_{Most  asylum seekers who arrive by boat  do so out of desperation and fear for their lives and the lives of their families. They are fleeing persecution and often escaping from war torn countries . Sadly, many of these wars have been initiated and supported by our own country and by our Western allies. Many of these asylum seekers were skilled and professional people in their own countries. They would have much to contribute to Australian society and have done nothing criminal. So why do we detain and incarcerate these men women and children  in appalling conditions on poor offshore islands ?}

_{The idea that keeping open the offshore detention centres  is “saving  lives at sea” is blatantly untrue. What is saving lives at sea is the fact that our navy is engaged in turning back any boats attempting the dangerous crossing from Indonesia to Australia. The offshore detention centres  could be closed immediately and there would be no difference in numbers of people losing their life at sea.}

_{So I would like to ask you some fundamental questions :}

_{Why do you support continued offshore detention when it is clear that it is illegal, inhumane and also extremely costly to the Australian tax payer ?}

_{Why do you discriminate between boat arrivals and air arrivals when boat arrivals include a much higher percentage of genuine refugees ?}

_{Why do you continue to assert that keeping open Nauru and Manus detention centres is ‘saving lives at sea ? “}

_{Many of us have not been surprised by the policies of the Coalition on these issues but we have looked to the Labor party for a more rational , humane and common sense set of policies. There are demonstrations taking place all over Australia this week in support of closing offshore detention centres. There are many Australians who disagree with your current policy statements and who will not vote Labor in any election so long as these cruel and inhumane centres remain open.}

_{I look forward to your views on these issues.}

_{Yours faithfully,}

_{Marlene Griffin}

_{A long time member and activist for the Labor party who has now relinquished membership .}