Peter Whiting. Millions of people have been mesmerised by Pope Francis speaking to the joint sitting of US Congress and the United Nations General Assembly. What is it about him that attracts such attention, even from many people who are not believers in any religion? I would suggest he speaks with great respect for his […]
Michael Walter. Australia’s Catholic bishops call for an increase in our intake of refugees, immediate closure of offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru, and for all of us to build communities which welcome and support asylum seekers. As a nation, we are not doing enough for asylum seekers, according to the Catholic bishops in […]
Brendan E Byrne. The recent decision by the ALP National Conference to back Opposition Leader Bill Shorten’s push to adopt the ‘turn back the boats’ policy toward asylum seekers undoubtedly represents a victory for the advocates of ‘political pragmatism’. Shorten will also be gratified that this victory has secured his grip on the ALP leadership […]
John Hassett. The most significant legacy of Magna Carta is its symbolism. We respect it today as a cornerstone of our freedom. This year is the 800th anniversary of the signing on 15 June 1215 by King John of a document (Carta Libertatum) inscribed in Latin on sheepskin parchment. It arose from a struggle between the […]
Bruce Duncan. Against the advice from Save the Children, which is under contract to provide welfare services on Nauru, a baby girl of five months named Asha was transferred back to Nauru in early June. She was one of ten babies, born after 4 December 2014, transferred despite advice of Save the Children, which considered the […]
Australia treats murderers better than we treat asylum seekers. Despite repeated appeals and protests from churches and other Australians, our government persists in detaining asylum seekers behind barbed wire on remote islands, even in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, possibly for many years. Taxpayers were billed $1.2 billion in 2014 for these offshore detention centres. […]
Caz Coleman. If only there were an opportunity to cut through the politics to name what Australia needs to do to address the harm to children in long-term detention. Perhaps it may look something like this … Thank you gentlemen for attending the meeting today. As you know, we are here to address the protection of […]
Brian Johnstone. Professor Gillian Triggs, president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, has found that, by reason of its policy of the continued retention of children of asylum seekers, Australia has been and remains in breach of its international obligations. This applies to both major political parties. The legal argument is clear and irrefutable. Ethical […]
“Enough is enough”. The government had the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report on children in detention on 11 November last year. They have tabled it on the last possible day. It is now clear that the attacks made on the Commission, especially by senior ministers, has been designed to make it easier for the government […]
John Hassett. Facts are as popular as bull ants at a picnic in many contemporary discussions about contentious issues. They are handicaps to hyperbole and counterproductive of controversy. The recent barney about The Forgotten Children report by Professor Gillian Triggs provides an unfortunate illustration. Allow me to be a wet blanket by outlining the pertinent […]
President of the Refugee Council of Australia and CEO of Edmund Rice Centre in Sydney, Phil Glendenning sternly criticised government handling of asylum seekers arriving by boat, and particularly detaining women and children for long periods, including on Nauru and Manus Island. He said it was folly for Prime Minister Abbott to attack The Forgotten […]
