MEDIA RELEASE
Government’s refugee policy draws fire from union
Friday 4 December 2009

The Rudd Government’s handling of the asylum seeker issue has come under fire from traditional ALP supporters, with prominent speakers joining a protest rally in Melbourne this Saturday.

In signs of a rift between the ALP Government and the union movement over the issue of asylum seekers, a key speaker at the rally will be Maritime Union of Australia Victorian Secretary, Kevin Bracken. The MUA sparked controversy recently after making a $10,000 donation to the Tamil asylum seekers on the Oceanic Viking.

An MUA spokesperson reaffirmed the union’s support for asylum seekers, explaining that MUA crew members are often the first point of contact. "Our members pick up these flotsam and jetsam from a badly stuffed up world from their ships rigs and floating platforms, sometimes at great risk to their own safety,” he said.

The Government’s handling of the issue is also bringing sustained opposition from legal circles, particularly those in the frontline of assisting asylum seekers. David Mann, coordinator and principle lawyer of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre will be one of the speakers.

“It’s time to move beyond the Pacific solution. It’s time to move beyond the Indian Ocean solution. It’s time to move beyond the Indonesian solution,” Mann said.

“We need an Australian solution that gives priority to the protection of vulnerable human beings over the protection of borders.”

Other speakers include a Tamil community representative, an Afghan community representative, and a spokesperson for the Australian Greens.

“More than 30 community groups and organisations including many trade unions have joined a growing list of endorsements for Saturdays rally”, a spokes man for the Victorian branch of the Refugee Action Collective Liam Ward said today. 

“The issue of refugee rights is back in the public sphere and there is a groundswell of support growing again in the community.” 

Details of the protest are:
Rally to let the refugees into Australia
2pm, Saturday 5 December
State library

Media contact :
Liam Ward    0407 474 313
David Mann   0438 633 077