An open letter to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and the reply

An open letter to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison

Dear Prime Minister,

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the government’s continued use of temporary protection visas for people arriving in Australia who are subsequently found to be genuine refugees and who therefore are entitled to protection. Under international law, temporary protection visas should only be used in exceptional circumstances. They should not be used as a policy response to target people who simply arrive on our shores without a valid visa. These temporary visas, whether TPVs or SHEVs, leave refugees in a permanent state of uncertainty and anxiety, when what they so urgently need is a sense of security to enable them to rebuild their lives. The restrictions imposed by these temporary visas, not least the ban on family reunion, present enormous and unnecessary barriers to successful resettlement. The mental health impacts of this policy are well documented.

We call on the government to end this cruel practice and to provide permanent protection visas for all refugees who currently hold TPVs or SHEVs. 

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  Published by Bellingen and Nambucca District RAR. Email: bellingen.rar@gmail.com.

Please return completed sheet to: Mike Griffin, 39, Rogers Drive, Valla Beach, NSW 2448 by 12^th January 2020