Pass this motion at a union or staff meeting, or religious or community group:
Let Them Stay!
This meeting of ______________________ notes:
(i) that 267 asylum seekers, including 91 children (37 of whom are babies born in Australia; and 36 at school) are presently in Australia having been brought here by the immigration department from offshore detention centre of Manus Island and Nauru;
(ii) that they were brought for medical attention and mental health treatment that was not available on Nauru or Manus Island;
(iii) that they have spent around two years in detention and have not been processed;
(iv) that the detrimental effects of long term detention are well known for both children and adults;
(v) that Nauru and Manus Island are not safe for asylum seekers or refugees;
(vi) that five state and territory leaders, including Labor leaders in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia have called on the Turnbull government not to return the 267 to Nauru;
We further note that the Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton has stated that he expects this group of asylum seekers including the 91 children may soon be sent back to Nauru.
We therefore declare our complete opposition to any asylum seeker, or refugee, presently in Australia being sent to Nauru or Manus Island;
Accordingly we:
(i) call on the government not to detain any asylum seeker or refugee to Manus Island or Nauru;
(ii) call on the state government to not cooperate with any attempt by the Federal government to return any of the 267 to Nauru;
(iii) will provide all appropriate moral, financial and material support for the campaign by community and refugee advocacy groups to prevent asylum seekers being returned to Manus Island and Nauru
(iv) call for the end of mandatory detention and the closure of all detention centres.
