Dear. Albanese,
Please find enclosed an open letter, addressed to you, and signed by 822 people, which calls on the Labor Party to take a clear and principled asylum policy to the next federal election. The letter states:
“Dear Mr. Albanese,
As the Labor Party reviews its policy platform in preparation for the federal election, we, the undersigned, urge the Party to adopt a principled and compassionate asylum policy which is consistent with our international obligations. At a minimum, we urge the Party to commit to:
· Bringing all remaining refugees from Nauru and PNG to Australia for resettlement here or in other safe countries, including New Zealand.
· Urgently reviewing and processing all outstanding asylum claims.
· Releasing all remaining refugees and asylum seekers from APODs and other mainland detention centres, except where in individual cases there are overriding security issues.
· Issuing all genuine refugees in Australia with Permanent Protection Visas.
A clear and principled asylum policy, articulated boldly, would attract significant community support.”
We urge the Labor Party to commit to taking action to end the demonising of asylum seekers and refugees, and to resist the pressure to use the issue of asylum as a political tool. It is surely time to end the decades-long ill-treatment of asylum seekers, and to focus instead on both our international obligations and on our better instincts of compassion and humanity towards those in need of our protection.
We look forward to a positive response from the Labor Party.
Yours sincerely,
M.
Bellingen and Nambucca District Rural Australians for Refugees
Valla Beach
NSW 2448
10th September, 2021
No comments:
Post a Comment