8 June 2005
CHURCH LEADERS URGE SUPPORT FOR PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS
The changes to the Migration Act in the two Private Members' Bills proposed by parliamentarian Petro Georgiou have received widespread support from a range of church and religious groups, as well as from colleagues on both sides of Parliament.
"The Bills represent a compassionate and welcome change to Australia's detention policy and deserve the support of all MPs" said Bishop Joseph Grech Chairman of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Committee for Migrants and Refugees.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Anglican Bishops of Melbourne in a letter published in the Melbourne "Age". Pointing out that they have "consistently called for a review of Australia's inhumane immigration and detention policies" and emphasising the "destructive effects of these policies on individuals, young children and families" the Bishops indicated their strong support for the proposed Bills and welcomed the fact that some Coalition parliamentarians were now giving voice to these ethical concerns.
Calls for changes to the current detention system have regularly been made by the Uniting Church and a wide range of community and international organizations such as the Australian Medical Association, Amnesty, the Refugee Council of Australia and various UN bodies.
Acknowledging the messages of support they had received, the Liberal parliamentarians backing the Bills have stressed the importance of ordinary Australians making their opinions known to Members of Parliament. As Judi Moylan, one of the supporters of the Bill, indicated in her reply to my letter "Once again, I believe that the greatest chance for success rests in the weight of public opinion and anything you can do to encourage others to make their views known will be very helpful." A major groundswell of public opinion has the potential to force some significant softening of the current policies and practices of the government, even if it is unlikely to overturn the policy of mandatory detention.
Contact details for all members of Parliament can be found at the Parliament of Australia website.
"The Bills represent a compassionate and welcome change to Australia's detention policy and deserve the support of all MPs" said Bishop Joseph Grech Chairman of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Committee for Migrants and Refugees.
Similar sentiments were expressed by the Anglican Bishops of Melbourne in a letter published in the Melbourne "Age". Pointing out that they have "consistently called for a review of Australia's inhumane immigration and detention policies" and emphasising the "destructive effects of these policies on individuals, young children and families" the Bishops indicated their strong support for the proposed Bills and welcomed the fact that some Coalition parliamentarians were now giving voice to these ethical concerns.
Calls for changes to the current detention system have regularly been made by the Uniting Church and a wide range of community and international organizations such as the Australian Medical Association, Amnesty, the Refugee Council of Australia and various UN bodies.
Acknowledging the messages of support they had received, the Liberal parliamentarians backing the Bills have stressed the importance of ordinary Australians making their opinions known to Members of Parliament. As Judi Moylan, one of the supporters of the Bill, indicated in her reply to my letter "Once again, I believe that the greatest chance for success rests in the weight of public opinion and anything you can do to encourage others to make their views known will be very helpful." A major groundswell of public opinion has the potential to force some significant softening of the current policies and practices of the government, even if it is unlikely to overturn the policy of mandatory detention.
Contact details for all members of Parliament can be found at the Parliament of Australia website.
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