July Refugee News - Take Action Now!

Take action - sign the petition to reform detention

GetUp! are partnering with a range of refugee advocacy organisations to send a petition to the federal Immigration Detention Inquiry being conducted by the joint standing committee on migration.

Chances like this don't come very often - to end a regrettable chapter of Australian history that caused unimaginable suffering to some of the world?s most desperate and downtrodden.

The Government has launched an unexpected but long-awaited inquiry into immigration detention ? the system that gave us children in detention, the 'Pacific Solution', sewn lips, the Cornelia Rau affair, razor wire and condemnation from the international community.

We believe this Inquiry signals that the Government genuinely wants to put an end to Australia's inhumane detention regime, and for the first time they are asking us for our views. If ever you have despaired at the treatment of asylum seekers, put your name to GetUp's petition submission and help end this ongoing national shame:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/EndMandatoryDetention&id=365

So many times the community has rallied against mandatory detention and finally we have been given the chance to consign it to the dustbin of history. Now we must demonstrate to the Government that we demand a humane system.

For over a decade, governments have been so concerned not to appear soft on asylum seekers that they have denied basic rights and dignity and opted for the cheap politics of fear. This is our chance to stand up and demonstrate that Australians demand decency. Together we will show that harsh treatment of the vulnerable is unacceptable in our community.

This Inquiry is a moment we've been waiting for to show that what was thought to be popular in the electorate ? to be seen as harsh on asylum seekers ? is something we profoundly reject. Contribute to our submission, and show the world that our better nature is stronger than our fear. Speak up today to right over a decade of wrongs.
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AJA and others meet with the Minister

Two weeks ago, AJA and another ten advocates met with the Immigration Minister, Senator Chris Evans, to discuss reforms to Ministerial Intervention and the possibility of introducing a formal system of Complementary Protection in Australia.

The discussion was frank and very positive. Ministerial Intervention reform was discussed, with some ideas put forward by the group about how this could be done.

Today the Minister has released the Proust Report into reform of Ministerial Intervention. You can find the Minister's press release here?and get a copy of the report here.

The ideas put forward for Complementary Protection were favourably received by the Minister, with positive input from the Department and RRT representatives. Concrete outcomes will not happen overnight, but there is progress underway.

Complementary protection refers to the specific protection obligations (but not the whole convention) contained in the Convention Against Torture, the Convention on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Australia is signatory to all these, and we currently meet those obligations under Ministerial Intervention, but this is a very poor delivery system ? its lengthy, confusing and much more expensive than having a more formal system.

AJA recently released a report into Complementary Protection ?Playing God with Sanctuary?. You an read the summary and the full report here.

Petition to end detention billing

A petition organised by the Uniting Church:

The Australian Government currently has in place a system of mandatory detention of asylum seekers who arrive on-shore seeking asylum in Australia without a valid visa.? Some of these Asylum Seekers, who after presenting their case and going through the long process of assessment, are officially recognised as a refugee and given permanent protection under the Humanitarian Program, are still found to be liable for their costs of detention.

Furthermore, cases where the Australian Government has initially refused to grant refugee status to someone - who a court later determines is a refugee and undergoes prolonged detention as a result of the initial refusal - appear to be billed for a larger amount, as a result of the prolonged detention resulting from the Government?s error.

Signatures are due by August 19th.

Please see here for more information about the petition.
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Recent media articles on asylum seekers and refugees

'The Refugee System is Still Badly Broken' - article by David Mann

Our attention in Refugee Week (14-20 June) was drawn sadly and starkly to the awesome powers and profound consequences of decisions by government in the refugee area ? and to fundamental fault lines in the system that still need to be fixed.

The case of Mr Zhang, who took his own life after the Australian Government refused him a protection visa and deported him, against his will to China, serves as an acute reminder that the stakes in this terrain are often about no less than life, death and liberty.

Without presuming the merits of Mr Zhang's bid for protection, his suicide, after alleged torture by Chinese authorities, underscores how crucial it is to have a system that functions fairly, contains proper checks and is capable of consistently reaching the right decisions.

Read the full article online.

'The Other Side of the Fence' - by?Connie Levett

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald on why our detention system needs reform.? Read the full article online.

A note of thanks to our donors
Thank you to all our members and supporters who responded to our 2008 membership drive, or who have quietly continued their steady monthly support. Your donations have enabled AJA to keep running and keep campaigning for fairer policies for asylum seekers and refugees. Thank you also to the as-yet anonymous donor who transferred $2000 into AJA's account in June!
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