Campaigns and Events
The advocacy sector is in shock, and refugee communities are living in fear after the passing of three controversial Migration Bills during the final parliamentary sitting week of 2024.
These changes mark a significant step backward for human rights and compassion in Australia.
1. Migration Amendment (Removal Measures) Bill
This bill was introduced in response to the High Court ruling in YBFZ, which found that the automatic imposition of monitoring devices violated the separation of powers. However, the Government bypassed this ruling by implementing slightly modified regulations to continue monitoring devices for Bridging Visa R (NZYQ) holders.
The legislation also equates Bridging Visa R holders with those arriving by boat, paving the way for their removal to Nauru or third countries under negotiated arrangements. A recent agreement with Bangladesh exemplifies this strategy, raising fears among advocacy groups that these measures could soon apply to other vulnerable groups, such as those denied protection under the Fast Track process or Medevac transfers.
Learn more about refugee advocate Moz Azimitabar’s reaction here.
2. Banning Phones and Computers in Detention
The second bill grants the Government power to prohibit items like phones and computers in immigration detention. This will leave detainees, particularly those in Nauru, even more isolated as they wait for decisions on their visa status.
See Priya Nadesalingam’s reaction to this harmful measure here.
3. The Removals Bill
This bill imposes harsh penalties for individuals who do not cooperate with deportation and allows the Government to deny visas to people from countries that refuse to accept deportees. Alarmingly, this includes people who have built lives in Australia, contributed to their communities, and even have Australian citizen family members.
Advocacy Efforts Ignored
Despite submissions to the Senate Inquiry, organized calls through the ASRC, and countless letters to representatives, these bills were pushed through, highlighting a disregard for the voices of advocates and the rights of refugees.
Next Steps: Rally for Change
Now, more than ever, it's crucial to make our voices heard.
Write to your MPs and join the movement to reject these cruel and regressive policies. Together, we can advocate for a fairer, more compassionate Australia.
The situation for refugees in Papua New Guinea (PNG) remains dire, and the need for advocacy and support is as urgent as ever.
The History: Read here.
How you can help
>> Stay updated: Follow Sister Jane Keogh on Facebook here for the latest updates on the situation in PNG.
>> Advocate: Call on the Australian government to bring the ill men to Australia for immediate care.
>> Donate: Sister Jane Keogh still needs financial support for the men and their families in PNG.
Please donate to her Brigidine Sister’s account.
BSB 062 904
Account: 10602969 REF: PNG
Approximately $10,000 per month is still needed from Australian donors to ensure these men and their families can survive.
>> Contact politicians
Senators and Members here.
>> Refugee Council of Australia
Learn more here.
Listen to an interview from ABC’s Late Night Live between David Marr and Jane Favero here.
Read this article from The Conversation here.
In Nauru, there is still a lack of transparency about the people seeking asylum. One has been returned to his country of origin and it is assumed a further six men have been sent back to their home countries. 87 men are in off-shore detention in Nauru.
The Saturday Paper has reported that whilst the people seeking asylum are living in the Nauru community, the allowance provided to them is insufficient for their survival and any prospect of their resettlement is very much in limbo, causing the men considerable mental anguish.
Read the article here.
“Australia violates human rights treaty with Nauru detainees, UN committee finds.”
Read this article from ABC News here.
A UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors the legally binding 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rightshas found that Australia violated the treaty by detaining a group of asylum seekers, including minors, on Nauru even after they were granted refugee status.
The UN has asked the government to provide compensation to the victims and to ensure similar violations do not recur.
UN Human Rights Committee member Mahjoub El Haiba has said: "The outsourcing of operations does not absolve states of accountability. Offshore detention facilities are not human rights-free zones for the state party, which remains bound by the provisions of the covenant.“
The Australian government has denied responsibility stating that "Australia does not exercise effective control over regional processing centres".
How you can help
>> Inform the community.
Go to Resources to share this flyer and source the file for printing.
Previous Campaigns
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Call for access to safety net income and support for refugees and people seeking asylum
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Fast Track Systems Fails Thousands
Grandmothers for Refugees are calling for the Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Tony Burke, to urgently provide victims of the flawed Fast Track process with permanent protection visas. Thousands of people have been living in limbo for more than 11 years because their claims were not properly assessed under the unfair Fast Track process introduced by the Abbott Government in 2014.
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Palm Sunday Walk for Justice and Peace
Sunday 24 March 2024
Justice for Refugees Palm Sunday actions and events will be held cross Australia on Sunday 24 March to raise public awareness of the injustices experienced by thousands of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia.
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Refugee advocate Neil Para calls for amnesty to provide hope for refugee children
Neil Para, the dedicated Refugee Freedom Walker, is urging policymakers to grant amnesty to 10,000 refugees still awaiting visas in Australia.
Para’s journey has seen him cover over 600 kilometres of his 1,000-kilometer Refugee Freedom Walk to Prime Minister Albanese’s electorate office in Sydney. His walk resonates with the struggles of 10,000 refugees who, after a decade of uncertainty, await permanent visas. This situation deeply affects families, limiting opportunities and keeping them separated. Nivash, Neil’s daughter, 15, pleads for help in a letter to Prime Minister Albanese.
Neil Para is advocating for permanent visas that would prevent these children from being left behind emphasising hope and a brighter future for every child, regardless of immigration status.
Here are Neil’s three requests:
1. Ensure that children born in Australia enjoy the same rights as other Australian children.
2. Grant Australian citizenship or permanent residency, with a pathway to citizenship, to all children who have attended Australian schools.
3. Include all remaining refugees living in Australia in the permanent visa process
announced by Andrew Giles on 13 February 2023.
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Petition to the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives
Congratulations on the outstanding effort in collecting almost 7000 signatures to our petition in support of those refugees at dire risk of being abandoned to hopelessness yet again. The hundreds of original petition pages have been bundled together for secure delivery to Canberra. We have asked for it to be tabled in the House of Representatives during Refugee Week, preferably on World Refugee Day, Tuesday 20 June 2023.
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Refugee Fridays
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No Child Left Behind
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Justice and Freedom for Refugees Petition
May 2022
Read the Petition here.
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2022 Federal Election campaign
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Removal of federal support from refugees medically transferred to Australia
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Refugee treatment cruel, inhuman
Article from The Pakenham Gazette, 4 November 2020
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Human Rights Day 10 December
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The Proposed Amendment to the Migration Act – Prohibited Items Bill / Mobile Phones Campaign
Read about this campaign here.
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Nobody Left Behind Campaign
Leaving no-one behind: Ensuring people seeking asylum and refugees are included in COVID-19 strategies.
Read about this campaign from the Refugee Council of Australia.•••
Refugee Rights <> Our Duty
Defending the rights of refugees is our freedom, right and duty.
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Campaign for Universal Rights:
The protection of refugee rights and the civil rights of Australians go hand in hand.
In joining the debate around the Good Friday refugee protest arrest and fines, Grandmothers for Refugees have resolved to:
• Keep our primary focus always on refugees.
• Make our defence of civil rights and the protesters an essential claim whilst making the defence of the rights of refugees the priority demand.
• Resist being drawn into the debate on civil liberties other than in a personal role as citizens.
• Write letters to the Editors and others with a focus on
1. COVID-19 testing of detainees and transparency about their situations
2. Release of refugees in other countries as action to minimise cluster outbreaks of the virus
3. Risk to the family on Christmas Is from FIFO guards et al who do not quarantine
4. Ask for detail on what is happening for those accepted for the US – if acceptable to those countries, they should be acceptable to us.
5. Any other individual issues of concern.
• Chair, Grandmothers for Refugees, to submit Opinion piece as drafted for publication.
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Urgent income support for people seeking asylum during pandemic conditions
Background Information for letter writers
• Given their temporary and insecure visa status, many people on Bridging Visas are not able to find secure work – in the current COVID-19 crisis most of those who did have casual work or part-time work are now unemployed.
• People seeking asylum are not currently included in the income support arrangements that have been put in place as a COVID-19 crisis response.
• Without income support people cannot pay their rent or feed their families and must rely on charity and the goodwill of Australians for rent, food and healthcare to survive.
• Charity organisations and local community groups will be overwhelmed in the coming weeks and months due to COVID-19 economic and health impacts.
• The Federal Government has rightly responded to the COVID-19 economic crisis by providing income support for people who have no income – people seeking asylum must be included.
PLEASE NOTE that this is focussed on people seeking asylum – people recognised as refugees on TPVs, SHEVs and Permanent Visas are eligible for the equivalent of Job Seeker payments – people on Bridging Visas are not eligible.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE MUST MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM HAVE INCOME SUPPORT.
PLEASE
• Email and phone relevant politicians.
IMPORTANT: This approach is intended to generate pressure for change through the National COVID cabinet – to overturn the current ‘destitution policy’ favoured by Minister Dutton and PM Scott Morrison.
• Email your local MP
• Email the Premier of your state
• Email Sally McManus – Secretary, Australian Trade Union. Contact Form for the ACTU.
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Let Them Stay! Network Campaign
Supports the release of the Sri Lankan Tamil family – Nades, Priya, Kopika (5) and Tharunicaa (3) – from Christmas Island and their safe resettlement in their Queensland home town of Biloela.
Federal Court hearing, September 2019
Illustration by Jack Chadwick