Recently in Australia a new bill has been submitted to parliament that saddens me and countless other Australians. According to http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/09/25/asylum-law-changes-morrison-bring-back-tpvs-pup-support the bill will:
Most alarming of all perhaps the government will "seek to ensure that children born in Australia to a parent who is a transitory person can also be taken to a regional processing country."
I believe as well as many others that we, as a wealthy, educated first world country, have a moral obligation to take in people who need our help because their own countries are being torn apart by terrifying wars and extreme poverty.
Australia is supposed to take in refugees under the 1951 United Nations Refugee convention. "The 1951 Convention protects refugees. It defines a refugee as a person who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail him—or herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution (see Article 1A(2)). People who fulfill this definition are entitled to the rights and bound by the duties contained in the 1951 Convention." (to find out more got to http://www.unhcr.org/4ec262df9.html)
These rights include:
• The right not to be expelled, except under certain, strictly defined conditions (Article 32);
• The right not to be punished for illegal entry into the territory of a contracting State (Article 31);
• The right to work (Articles 17 to 19);
• The right to housing (Article 21);
• The right to education (Article 22);
• The right to public relief and assistance (Article 23);
• The right to freedom of religion(Article 4);
• The right to access the courts(Article 16);
• The right to freedom of movement within the territory (Article26); and
• The right to be issued identity and travel documents (Articles 27 and 28).
Australia is part of the United Nations and yet, not only is this bill being considered, we have detention centres. Detention centres are were refugees are held during processing. They are often in neighbouring countries. I understand the need for some sort of processing system but these detentions centres are often in bad condition and the people inside them neglected. “They don’t deserve it – they’re humans too,” an Australian guard said according to http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/security-guard-exposes-horrendous-conditions-at-manus-island-detention-centre/story-fnhnv0wb-1226881874398?nk=b3a2552aef8c2170c8c08297f2f97d62.
Thank you so much if you read this whole thing. This is a really important subject that needs to be addressed so if you live in Australia take action by starting a petition, writing a letter, etc.
- Reintroduce temporary protection visas
- Create a new visa class to be known as a safe haven enterprise visa
- Create a new fast-track assessment process and remove access to the Refugee Review Tribunal for fast-track applicants
- Remove most references to the United Nations Refugee Convention from the Migration Act and replace them with a new statutory framework which articulates Australia's interpretation of its protection obligations under the convention
- Statutory limit on the number of protection visas in each year
- Tighter circumstances test for the "well-founded fear of prosecution" claim for protection
Most alarming of all perhaps the government will "seek to ensure that children born in Australia to a parent who is a transitory person can also be taken to a regional processing country."
I believe as well as many others that we, as a wealthy, educated first world country, have a moral obligation to take in people who need our help because their own countries are being torn apart by terrifying wars and extreme poverty.
Australia is supposed to take in refugees under the 1951 United Nations Refugee convention. "The 1951 Convention protects refugees. It defines a refugee as a person who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail him—or herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution (see Article 1A(2)). People who fulfill this definition are entitled to the rights and bound by the duties contained in the 1951 Convention." (to find out more got to http://www.unhcr.org/4ec262df9.html)
These rights include:
• The right not to be expelled, except under certain, strictly defined conditions (Article 32);
• The right not to be punished for illegal entry into the territory of a contracting State (Article 31);
• The right to work (Articles 17 to 19);
• The right to housing (Article 21);
• The right to education (Article 22);
• The right to public relief and assistance (Article 23);
• The right to freedom of religion(Article 4);
• The right to access the courts(Article 16);
• The right to freedom of movement within the territory (Article26); and
• The right to be issued identity and travel documents (Articles 27 and 28).
Australia is part of the United Nations and yet, not only is this bill being considered, we have detention centres. Detention centres are were refugees are held during processing. They are often in neighbouring countries. I understand the need for some sort of processing system but these detentions centres are often in bad condition and the people inside them neglected. “They don’t deserve it – they’re humans too,” an Australian guard said according to http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/security-guard-exposes-horrendous-conditions-at-manus-island-detention-centre/story-fnhnv0wb-1226881874398?nk=b3a2552aef8c2170c8c08297f2f97d62.
Thank you so much if you read this whole thing. This is a really important subject that needs to be addressed so if you live in Australia take action by starting a petition, writing a letter, etc.