Justice News
MEDIA RELEASE
Uniting Church urges constructive dialogue on asylum seekers
21 October 2009
The Uniting Church in Australia has written to Prime Minister Rudd and Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Sharman Stone to express concern and disappointment at the Government's responses to asylum seekers arriving by boat.
President of the Uniting Church, Rev. Alistair Macrae, expressed dismay that issues surrounding the movement of asylum seekers were once again being confused with issues of border security. “It is not a matter of national security that people come to Australia seeking protection as refugees. Everyone has a right under international law to seek asylum.”
Rather than feeding an unrealistic fear of ‘boat people’, Rev. Macrae said “we have urged Mr Rudd to demonstrate leadership of a different kind – one that directs public discourse away from such baseless fears and towards our moral responsibility to care for vulnerable people who seek our help.
“While we acknowledge the importance of appropriate national security policies, we do not believe these should adversely affect the fulfilment of our international obligations to people in genuine need of our protection from persecution,” he said.
“As a stable and wealthy country in the region Australia has a responsibility to lead by example in providing protection to refugees. The numbers of asylum seekers who come to Australia by boat are very small indeed and need to be kept in perspective.”
The Uniting Church has urged the Government to focus efforts on developing a regional solution that protects the basic human rights and dignity of people fleeing persecution.
The Uniting Church has welcomed the Rudd Government’s commitments to upholding our international human rights obligations and developing more humane policies relating to asylum seekers and refugees.
“It is our hope that the Opposition will not advocate a return to old punitive and harmful policies and that the Government’s responses to the current issues around Sri Lankan asylum seekers in Indonesia in particular, will remain consistent with the commitments they have made,” said Rev. Macrae.
Christmas Island chaplaincy: a light in the darkness
Christmas Island is a tiny speck in the Indian Ocean, yet it will seem vast compared to some of the tight spaces Rev Christine Senini worked in. And she won’t have to sleep in a bunk bed.
The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev. Alistair Macrae has added his name to the list of prominent Australians calling for reform to our asylum seeker policies. UnitingJustice has continually advocated for a more compassionate approach to these vulnerable members of our society.
UnitingJustice and the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly has joined the chorus of voices calling for Constitutional recognition of the unique contribution that First Peoples have made to this country. Amendments to the Australian Constitution should also include removal of racist and discriminatory language and clauses. The open letter was accompanied by a submission to the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition made by UnitingJustice.
UJA Reference Committee member, Professor John Langmore, discusses the political momentum behind and the public benefits of introducing a financial transactions tax.
Rethink Refugees - watch UJA National Director, Rev. Elenie Poulos, reflecting on her work in refugee advocacy as part of Amnesty's information campaign
Preamble posters and Covenanting resources
Download or print your own here.
Position Vacant: Senior Media Officer
The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia seeks to appoint an experienced media professional to the role of Senior Media Officer. Read more...
Churches solid on poker machine reform
The major Christian churches in Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to the Government’s proposed poker machine reform this morning in the face of Catholic priest Father Chris Riley’s apparent support for the inaccurate, well-funded industry campaign. Read more...