Refugee advocacy groups have called for the biggest possible vote to ensure the defeat of the Labor government\u2019s latest amendments to the Migration Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cJulia Gillard and Chris Bowen\u2019s amendments to the Migration Act to allow third country processing do nothing to guarantee the human rights of asylum seekers expelled from Australia. In fact they would give the Minister total un-reviewable power to send asylum seekers to any country he deemed to be safe,\u201d said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Minister will have the power to expel unaccompanied minors without any court review of those decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amendments are a direct attempt to circumvent the High Court\u2019s ruling against that the Malaysia Agreement. Julia Gillard also knows that the amendments are against Labor Party policy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is strong opposition within the Labor party, but she is determined to ride roughshod over those concerns. The refugee movement has been encouraged by the reports that Labor MPs are considering crossing the floor or boycotting the vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an indication of the growing community support for putting an end to the disgraceful race to the bottom between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott. Opinion polls show a majority of the Australian population support asylum seekers being processed in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is shocking to see the Labor Party that so rightly condemned the Pacific Solution in years gone by, now going cap in hand to the Coalition parties to change the law to entrench the abuse of asylum seekers.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth parties should drop third country offshore processing \u2013 Nauru is no alternative to Malaysia. We also reject the Coalition\u2019s proposal to re-establish temporary protection visas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is imperative that Julia Gillard\u2019s amendments are defeated. We are calling on all MPs of conscience to put the human rights of asylum seekers first and join the Greens in taking a principled stand against third country processing, and vote to defeat these amendments.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe the vote on the amendments should happen as soon as possible \u2013 to end the uncertainty and settle the issue of third country processing once and for all.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sooner this issue is settled, the sooner the government can turn its attention to ending the misery of the more than 6000 asylum seekers in detention.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy ending offshore processing and mandatory detention, the Labor government could completely end the failed anti-refugee policies of the Howard era,\u201d said Ian Rintoul.<\/p>\n
The Refugee Action Coalition is holding a major \u201cNot Malaysia, Not Nauru, No offshore processing\u201d rally in Sydney at 12 noon, Town Hall on Saturday October 15.<\/p>\n
A major mobilization is also planned for National Labor Party Conference in Sydney on Sunday 4 December.<\/p>\n