A “Welcome Refugee” rally calling for an end to the “PNG Solution” will march on the Marrickville electoral office of Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, tomorrow, Saturday 31 August.
The rally will begin at the plaza next to the Post Office Café at 11.00am. Speakers will include Hall Greenland, The Greens candidate for Grayndler, John Gauci from the Inner City Teachers’ Association, Patrick Wright a former Labor member who recently burnt his Labor membership card at the recent Balmain Parliamentary caucus meeting; a Hazara refugee and Peter Boyle , Socialist Alliance candidate for Sydney.
The rally will also call for a complete end to off-shore processing and condemn the Coalition’s policies of temporary protection visas, boat tow-backs and the removal of refugee assessment appeal rights.
“We want to send a very clear message to both main parties that there is a campaign that will continue to fight for refugee rights regardless of the election outcome,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition. “Ultimately their punitive policies will be overturned.
“To the Labor Party and Anthony Albanese we want to say very clearly that you do not have to be anti-refugee to win elections. To the people in Grayndler we want to ask them to put the refugees first, at the election, and afterwards.
“The Labor Party won office in 2007 with policies opposing indefinite mandatory detention, the Pacific Solution, and off-shore processing. It could just as easily be done again if Labor was willing to expose the myths and lies about asylum seekers and put principles before expediency.
“It is shameful that Kevin Rudd has shifted even further to the right on refugees. It has only encouraged the Coalition to put forward even more punitive and draconian policies. Tragically, Labor in office has fostered the race to the bottom.
“Anthony Albanese once had respect in the refugee campaign for standing up for refugee rights. No longer. That respect has foundered on the rocks of the PNG Solution and the Malaysia Solution before that.
“The refugee movement will keep campaigning to end the PNG solution and ensure that all asylum seekers are welcomed and are processed and resettled in Australia.”
A post-election rally is planned in Sydney for Sunday 29 September, 1pm, Town Hall.
For more information contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713; Nick 0481 339 937; Mark 0422 078 376; Petra 0478 009 384.
