Catholic Social Services Victoria, the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum and the Refugee Council, have expressed deep concerns about the implications of the Migration Amendment Bills passed last week by the Senate.
In a statement released yesterday, CSSV said the Albanese Government “has failed to properly listen to the advice, concerns and reasons of the social services and refugee services sector and instead chose to rush consultation”.
A number of Catholic organisations made submission to the Senate Committee Inquiry on the bills and rejected the proposed amendments in their entirety. These organisations include:
- St Vincent de Paul Society National Council
- Sydney Archdiocese’s Office of Justice and Peace
- Jesuit Refugee Service Australia
- Edmund Rice Centre
- Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project
- Jesuit Social Services
“While we do not yet know the full impact of this new legislation, there are many measures in these bills that could have significant implications for the wellbeing of some of the most made-vulnerable people in our country,” the CSSV statement said.
This includes the authority for the Government to:
- Remove a refugee’s protection finding to remove them from Australia.
- Deny people in immigration detention mobile phone connection – which is so important to relationships and services.
- Pay undisclosed third countries to warehouse non-citizens.
- Target some individuals who were refused a visa under the unjust “fast track” process.
- Imprison people who will not return to countries where they fear for their lives.
- Create travel bans for citizens of certain countries.
- Permanently and forcefully separate more families.
“Our members know the harm that has been done to people in immigration detention settings and to those in the community because they are picking up the pieces of inhumane and unthoughtful immigration policies and processes,” CSSV executive director Joshua Lourensz said.
“Australia can do better.”
FULL STORY
Migration Amendment Bills a concern for justice and human dignity (CSSV)
