Ahead of World Day of Migrants and Refugees on Sunday, the St Vincent de Paul Society urges all Australians to open their hearts and assist those who come to Australia seeking refuge from violence and persecution in their home countries.
“In the words of Pope Francis, ‘God not only walks with his people, but also within them. He identifies himself with people on their journey through history, particularly with the least, the poor and the marginalised’,” said the society’s national president, Mark Gaetani.
“The Pope is greatly concerned about the treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees worldwide. Our response should be, as he says, ‘to meet and assist the person who knocks on our door, hungry, thirsty, an outsider, naked, sick and imprisoned’.
“People fleeing for fear of their lives should be assisted, not arrested, offered a proper chance to explain their circumstances, not treated as criminals and held in offshore detention.”
The reopened Nauru facility has more than 100 detainees, while about 50 people have been held in Port Moresby for 11 years.
“The offshore processing policy is a cruel failure that has cost over $12 billion from 2012-2024 and people’s welfare is surrounded by secrecy,” Mr Gaetani said.
He also raised the situation of the thousands of people living in Australia whose status continues to be unresolved.
“Some 8500 people subject to the unfair ‘fast-track’ process are living ‘temporarily’ in our community, as are 1000 people medically evacuated from PNG and Nauru who are living here on short-term visas,” he said.
“Organisations such as St Vincent de Paul Society, Australian Catholic & Migrant Refugee Office and the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum are providing vital support as well as making regular representations to government.”
The society has called on the Albanese Government to quickly resolve the status of these people so they can begin to rebuild their lives in a permanent and safe home.
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Let’s assist those seeking safety, not arrest them (St Vincent de Paul Society)
