Refugee Rights Action Network - Western Australia

Story by Yasmine Ryan, sourced from TakePart

Smuggling nasty laws into the country

Jack H Smit

9 May 2010

Jack Smit is the founder and co-ordinator of Project SafeCom

He undertakes post-graduate university research into the political development of Australia’s people smuggling legislation. He wrote this OpEd piece hoping for publication in one of the country's dailys.

SMH and SKY Agenda have covered the letter sent to Prime Minister Rudd and all Members of Parliament Click here to read the letter endorsed by 20 Trade Union and affliated organisation leaders .

11/04 SKY

Transcribed from SKY AGENDA 11th of May 2010

Bruce Baird is asked about his opinion on the Liberal Party ads about 'illegal' immigrants coming to Australia:

From Direct Action Issue 22: May 2010 by Kerry Vernon

A vigil was held on 7th May 2010 at the Perth Immigration Detention Centre, opposite Perth Domestic Airport. See event details.

Dear Friends of Refugees,

Over the next few weeks hundreds of Afghan Hazaras in Darwin, Christmas Island and Villawood detention centres, are going to be refused visas on the grounds that Afghanistan is "evolving" and that it is safe to return.

The evidence of persecution and the stories of fear of return have not changed in the past month.

The Hazaras were being granted refugee visas at the rate of 100% until now. What has changed are politics in Australia and the looming election.

Why has there been an increase of "Boatpeople" arriving on our shores since Rudd became PM?

The coalition makes a lot of recent "increases" in unauthorised boat arrivals. This apparent increase is only an increase when compared to the lull in arrivals from about 2002 to 2007. It is about the same as the numbers that were arriving from 1998 to 2002, also during the Howard era.

MEDIA ALERT - Greens Senators join protest outside Perth Detention Centre TONIGHT, Friday 7 MAY 2010

Australian Greens Senators Rachel Siewert and Scott Ludlam will join community groups who will be camping from dusk tonight, Friday 7 May, until dawn at the Perth Domestic Airport Immigration Detention Centre.

WHEN: Protest starts 6pm. Call numbers below for details about the evening.

UNHCR has released a new report on Sri Lanka

This was one of the reports that the Australian government was apparently waiting for that was to back up their decision to suspend refugee determinations for asylum seekers from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

QUESTION TAKEN ON NOTICE ADDITIONAL BUDGET ESTIMATES HEARING: 9 FEBRUARY 2010

IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP PORTFOLIO

Program 2.1: Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Senator Hanson-Young asked: How many people, who are currently held on Christmas Island, have already been found to be refugees by UNHCR?

Asylum Seekers Christmas Island have a letter writing project that people may be interested in taking part in.

The Australian Government has announced a blanket suspension on the processing of new asylum claims by Afghan and Sri Lankan nationals.

This as an appalling act of political point scoring and fundamentally inconsistent with our obligations under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.

The situation for many groups in Sri Lanka and Afghanistan continues to be tenuous if not downright dangerous. Activists, journalists, women and unaccompanied minors among others still face significant risks.