The Refugee Action Collective Eurobodalla continues to join Rural Australians for Refugees, medical professionals, leading Australians and celebrities (like The Wiggles and Jimmy Barnes), advocates and everyday aussies in the campaign to get ‘Kids Off Nauru’. As the movement gathers momentum, huge rallies were held in Melbourne and Sydney yesterday after the initial rally in Canberra on 16 October.
Eleven more children awaiting high-level medical treatment on Nauru were transferred to Australia last Sunday night in a seemingly “one-off show of compassion from the Morrison government to coincide with the Wentworth by-election. However, contrary to the Morrison government’s recent statements that they have been getting sick children off Nauru, all children previously evacuated this year for medical treatment were initially refused admission by the LNP government, and were only brought to Australia as a result of intervention by the Australian Federal Court.
The Morrison Government has not brought in any more children from Nauru since losing the Wentworth by-election. They have now also challenged the Federal Court's ability to order humanitarian evacuations, throwing into doubt further urgent court hearings to decide if dangerously ill refugee children should be flown to Australia.
RAC convener Bernie Richards said “Children must not be used for political point scoring. Australians expect better than that and have had enough. We believe in human rights and safety for all, and especially these refugee children, for whom Australia has a duty of care”.
St Johns Anglican Church will join in the action to get Kids Off Nauru by ringing the bell once for every child held in Nauru each Friday until 20th November, which is the Universal Day of the Child. The Bell ringing will commence at 5pm this Friday 2 November at St John’s Anglican Church in Moruya. "We are condemning these children to hopelessness which is a terrible thing. All children deserve to belong, to know a proper home. These children are literally living on a disused phosphate mine in a state of limbo. I'm sure Australia can do better than this," said the Reverend Linda Chapman.
RAC Eurobodalla are also concerned about the critical delays in getting these children off Nauru. “We ask all compassionate Australians to think of these children and their families, who have suffered enough for over 5 years. We ask concerned Australians everywhere to please take the time to tell our parliamentarians that these children deserve freedom and safety like our children have.”
Refugee Action Collective Eurobodalla under the umbrella of Rural Australians for Refugees is a grassroots movement seeking compassionate treatment of refugees and people seeking asylum.
Scott Morrison Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency 2014
