EMERGENCY MESSAGE FROM ASRC TONIGHT: As you all know tonight the Minister is trying to move on the Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014. It is our understanding that as soon as he has the numbers he will bring the Bill, which could be as soon as tomorrow lunchtime. The next 24 hours are crucial for asylum seekers today and in the future. Further to this, the committee has just tabled its report into the Bill, link below. TO VOTE IT DOWN REQUIRES 3 CROSS BENCHERS. So far Senator Madigan will not vote for it. We need Senator Muir and one other, either Senator Xenophon or Senator Lambie to vote the bill down in its entirety. Senator Lambie has said that she will not vote on gov leg until a deal is struck on defence force pay, if she sticks to her guns then we just need Muir. Tomorrow morning we need to be on the phones and emails-maybe last chance-GAME ON... Senator Ricky Muir Email: [email protected] Phone Parliament Office: (02) 6277 3040 Phone Electorate Office: (03) 9660 6520 Points to note: The re-introduction of temporary protection visas TPVs were used in Australia from 1999 to 2008 and proved to be harmful, ineffective, wasteful and cruel. They damaged people mentally, forcing them to live in anxious limbo and denying them the chance to reunite with their family. People shouldn’t have to re-prove their refugee status every three years just because they arrived by boat. Ignoring the Refugee Convention The Bill narrows the meaning of refugee, ignoring previous court decisions and stacking the odds against refugees. For example, people could be asked to ‘modify their behaviour.’ That could mean telling someone who taught girls in Pakistan to go home and find a new job to avoid Taliban persecution. Establishing a new ‘fast-track’ processing system The Bill undermines our robust, fair refugee determination system and denies people arriving by boat a fair hearing. Instead, they’ll face a ‘fast-track’ decision-making process, which will reduce life and death decisions to a cursory assessment by the Department. Then it will be up to the Minister alone to decide if a negative decision gets reviewed. This will increase the likelihood of sending people back to danger. Ministerial power to cap visas A cap on the number of visas will give the Minister the power to chop and change how many refugees are granted protection each year, leaving people in anxious limbo, as they wait for their number to come up in the ‘visa lotto’. Denying protection to babies born in Australia Babies born on Australian soil to parents who arrived by boat will be considered ‘unauthorised maritime arrivals’, sent to Nauru and never allowed to settle in Australia. We have seen time and again what happens when politicians give themselves too much power – they become corrupt and forget that they are here to serve the community, not their own interests. Let’s stand up to Abbott and Morrison’s cruel plans. Let’s #StandUpToProtect people from harm. Let’s #StandUpToProtect our strong, independent legal system from political interference. More info: asrc.org.au/news/latest-campaigns/protect-refugees-and-our-legal-system/#1410155745-1-21
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:34:21 +0000
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