Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

Category: Uncategorized

  • Current Correspondence – Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

    We raise issues within the Party and share information from external bodies. Here are some of the issues we are currently raising:

    1. Letter sent on 27 September 2019 requesting that the Opposition MPs, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Senator Penny Wong, and Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus initiate an inquiry in Parliament into the conduct of Judge Sandy Street. The inquiry is to make a finding whether there has been proven misbehaviour within the meaning of Section 72 of the Constitution. Awaiting response.
    2. Letter dated 25 October 2019 to Senator Kristina Keneally regarding the plight of the Burundi refugees, asking her to raise this matter in the Senate and demand the Government raise this letter with the UN Human Rights Council as soon as practical. Awaiting response.
    3. Letter dated 29 November 2019 sent to Senator Kristina Keneally regarding the detention of two Saudi Arabian homosexual men in Villiawood, asking her to lobby for them to remain in the community on bridging visas while their applications for asylum are processed. Awaiting response.
    4. Letter dated 29 November 2019 sent to Senator Kristina Keneally regarding Chapter 9 of the National Platform ‘A Fair Go for All’ which does not mention work rights except for the reference to lobbying countries of first asylum asking them to provide a number of services to refugees, including work rights; urging Labor in government to grant these rights. Awaiting response.
    5. Letter dated 15 January 2020 sent by the L4R National Coordinating Committee sent to Senator Kristina Keneally about the appalling conditions for refugees in the Bomana Prison in Port Moresby. The remain detainees were removed from Bomana on 23 January 2020.

  • NSW Labor Conference 2016 – Labor for Refugees Motion – Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

    Catherine CrittendenNovember 4, 2015Uncategorized

    NSW State Conference 2016 – Labor for Refugees Motion

    A number of refugee motions have been submitted by ALP Members, to be placed on the agenda for the ALP NSW Conference which will take place on the weekend of the 13/14 February 2016.  Labor for Refugees NSW has drafted a refugee motion which reflects our principle policies. It has also been submitted as a Conference agenda item.  A similarly worded motion was carried at the ALP Tasmanian Conference in August this year.  We are hopeful that this motion will be adopted at the NSW Conference.

  • Rethinking Australia’s borders – Review of Behrouz Boochani’s book – Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

    Catherine CrittendenMarch 1, 2019Uncategorized

    Insightful review by Genevieve Lloyd Published on Inside Story

    Read together, Behrouz Boochani’s No Friend but the Mountains and the Uluru Statement challenge us to look differently at national boundaries.

  • UN Human Rights Committee decision – Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

    Catherine CrittendenMay 24, 2016Uncategorized

    The Kaldor Centre comments as follows:

    The United Nations Human Rights Committee handed down its decision on the case of five refugees who were indefinitely detained in immigration detention without charge by the Australian government. The Committee found that Australia’s actions are contrary to the prohibition on arbitrary, indefinite detention under international law. The decision can be read here. For background on refugees with an adverse security assessment, see our Factsheet.

    Labor’s National Platform states: Labor will require the National Security Legislation Monitor to advise on establishing other mechanisms for:

    • Independent review of the adverse security assessments that ensures procedural fairness while recognising that processes may be required to protect intelligence sources and methodology; and
    • The management of those whose adverse assessment is upheld.

    Labor will explore options other than indefinite detention, including third country resettlement, to deal with refugees with adverse security assessments in a way that does not jeopardise Australia’s national security interests.

  • Interview with Anna Burke – Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

    Catherine CrittendenMay 11, 2016Uncategorized

    Anna Burke: ‘It’s time for a rational debate about refugees’ DI COUSENS

    ‘We have now got a world wide refugee problem. We don’t have one here but we do have one world wide. It is now time to start having a rational debate about what we do with these people as opposed to playing the race card.’ Interview with Anna Burke, who has represented the seat of Chisholm in the House of Representatives for the ALP since 1998. Burke is the former Speaker of the House (2012-2013), and has been a consistent advocate for asylum seekers. She will retire at the next election. Read more

  • Medical care for refugees and asylum seekers – Labor for Refugees NSW/ACT

    Migration Amendment (Urgent Medical Treatment) Bill 2018

    This Bill, including Labor’s amendments, has now been passed by both Houses of Parliament: 13 February 2019.

    ‘…there is a lot of misinformation and, frankly, lies, that are being put around’  PMScott Morrison 13 February 2019. Sadly, true. He would know.

    The passage of this Bill, instigated by Independent Kerryn Phelps, means that refugees and people seeking asylum currently detained on Nauru and Manus Island will be able to receive the medical care they need in a timely way.

    In supporting the Bill, Labor has made amendments to ensure there will be no threat to the safety of Australian residents. There is also no reason to believe that people will risk drowning to get to Australia. We understand that to prevent such drownings the government will continue to intercept and turn back any smuggling boats leaving Indonesia. Any change to this policy would be an extraordinary step for the government.

    Here is the message from Tanya Plibersek MP after the vote in the House of Representatives yesterday:

    Tonight, Labor voted in the House of Representatives to help sick refugees and asylum seekers currently on Nauru and Manus Island receive urgent medical care.

    We just passed a Bill that means the government must now listen to the advice of doctors about whether sick refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island should be evacuated to Australia for medical care. 

    We can be tough on borders without being cruel to sick people who need medical care.

    Labor was pleased to work with Kerryn Phelps, and other crossbench MPs, to deliver this result. 

    It’s an example of what the Parliament can achieve when we work together.

    • We strengthened the Immigration Minister’s discretion to keep Australians safe from serious criminals or security risks.
    • Labor made timeframes for the medical transfer process more workable to ensure sick people will be able to get the medical care they need.
    • These measures only apply to the people currently on Nauru and Manus Island – to remove any incentive, no matter how small, for people to risk their life at sea.

    Labor will now work to pass this amended Bill through the Senate.

    This Bill was only needed because Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton and the Liberals have left people to languish on Nauru and Manus Island for close to six years.

    The next important step is to resettle those refugees and asylum seekers, who are still on Nauru and Manus Island, safely in third countries. 

    Labor, if elected, will accept New Zealand’s generous offer to resettle refugees with appropriate conditions – and negotiate other third country resettlement options as a priority.

    Our work in Labor for Refugees is far from finished, but this is a significant step forward.

    ps Craig Foster says in his open letter that the Australian government should “commit to more humane policies for all the ‘Hakeems’ who come into Australia’s care. Our nation has a big heart, we saw just how big in the past few months, and we need to carry this compassion forward.”

    He says “Australia needs to look at how we treat every human being that comes to these shores, irrespective of how they arrive. I have committed to many throughout this campaign, including the UN, that I would work to this end when Hakeem was free and I intend to do so.”

  • Can you help Shakti? – Labor for Refugees NSW

    Shakti is a great organisation which assists migrant and refugee women.

    Shakti Australia Ltd (Shakti NSW Facebook )

    Shakti provides culturally competent support services for women and families from Asian, African and Middle Eastern communities across Australia, and especially those who are asylum seekers and refugees.

    Shakti Australia has operated in Victoria since 2011 and in NSW since 2014 providing support and services to asylum seeker and refugee families and new migrants based on need.  It provides advocacy, social outreach work, support for safe refuge/housing, interpretation, awareness-raising on domestic violence affecting immigrant families, women’s support group activities, and activities relating to physical and mental health.  Shakti works with government agencies, and partners with health, education, and legal agencies to promote women’s and children’s rights, safety and well-being in Australia.

    Want to know more about Shakti?…..go to the Shakti International web page for more information and advice on how to make a donation to this very worthy cause.  Donations are very welcome and are tax deductible. 

    Shakti International

    Contact: Dr Sabrin Farooqui

    National Coordinator

    Shakti Australia Ltd 

    farooqui.sabrin@gmail.com

    PROJECT WORKS OF SHAKTI

    English class for Rohingya women

    Job readiness program

    Shakti’s workshop on International Women’s Day 2019 

    English class for disadvantaged women

    Sewing class for Disadvantaged women

  • #Game Over Campaign – Labor for Refugees NSW

    Catherine CrittendenSeptember 25, 2020Uncategorized

    Are you a sportsperson, or do you have family or friends who are involved in sport? Amnesty International is organising a campaign, #Game Over, calling on the Government to finally get all the refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia to safety, and leading to a National Day of Action on Wednesday 28 October. This campaign already has the support of top sportspeople, and the more people who join the campaign, the more powerful it will be. See how you can help.

  • Labor needs more diversity – Labor for Refugees NSW

    Catherine CrittendenSeptember 22, 2020Uncategorized

    A great article by Labor for Refugees NSW Junior Vice President, Dr Sabrin Farooqui, published in the Challenge Magazine:

    Continuing Labor’s Progressive Path to the Future

  • Carried unanimously at Victorian State Conference 12-13 November! – Labor for Refugees NSW

    This urgency motion was carried unanimously. Congratulations Victorian Labor!

    Urgency Motion for ALP State Conferenc e : 12 & 13 November  2016

    Asylum & Refugees

    Victorian Labor congratulates Premier Dan Andrews on the leadership he has shown through the following:

    • Offering a home in Victoria for the 267 people seeking asylum who were brought to Australia from Nauru for medical reasons
    • Providing $15 million for 3,000 training places in the Vocational Education & Training (VET) sector for people seeking asylum who hold Bridging Visa E and for refugees holding Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs)
    • Providing $11 million for health and mental health support services for refugees and people seeking asylum.

    That this Victorian State ALP conference expresses its deep concern at the physical and mental suffering endured  by asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island. We therefore urge the Shadow Cabinet to adopt a position that would commit Australia to:

    1. lifting its refugee intake to the per capita OECD average, being approximately 50,000 per annum and ensuring this intake of refugees takes place without lengthy delays.
    2. closing the Manus and Nauru asylum seeker detention centres and arranging the transfer of refugees to either Australia or another genuinely welcoming country
    3. establishing and financially supporting a cooperative UNHCR-administered regional asylum seeker processing arrangement with Southeast Asian neighbors to ensure the quick, efficient and humane processing of asylum seeker claims in accordance with the policy adopted at the 2015 ALP National Conference.

    Moved:  Ilia Vurtel, Wills Delegate

    Seconded: Pauline Brown, Bendigo Delegate

    *Footnote: The figure of 50,000 was taken from the average of all OECD countries, weighted by population and adjusted for per capita GDP.