Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

The General Synod Working Party on Refugees has expressed deep concern in relation to the proposed changes by the Federal Government to the laws governing asylum seekers.

They state the following:

We strongly oppose the removal of asylum seekers to offshore processing centres in what is commonly referred to as the 'Pacific Solution'. Australia needs to face up to its international obligations in relation to refugees and asylum seekers and we believe this to be very bad policy.

We believe that the 'Pacific Solution' raises a number of serious issues and because it will be offshore there will be very limited 'checks and balances', if any, to protect these people. We have all become too aware of the numerous problems emerging when people have been detained in Immigration Centres in Australia. We rightly believe this will be much worse.

Firstly, there will be the impact on children being held in detention, even if it is only overnight. There are many instances of children psychologically scarred by their experiences in Australian Detention Centres. Secondly, it will be exceedingly difficult if not impossible for asylum seekers to obtain access to proper legal and migration advice which is so vitally important for them.

Thirdly, we are aware from our own experience of the psychological impact on detainees, including those who were detained in Nauru, who are incarcerated for lengthy periods and given little hope for their future. There are also a number of asylum seekers who have been tortured in their homeland and have been deeply traumatised by their experience and they need professional psychological counselling. If it were not for visitors to the Detention Centres here in Australia the dreadful mental health state of numbers of detainees would have remained hidden away and continued to be regarded as pretence. To send asylum seekers offshore will exacerbate this problem enormously

Fourthly, the Pacific Solution will only be possible at a huge financial cost which we believe is a terrible waste of money and would be far better spent in helping asylum seekers to settle in Australia.

As Christians we believe that we should treat these people who are potentially fleeing in danger of their lives with the utmost compassion and dignity.

Michael Hillier
Chair of the General Synod Working Party on Refugees for the Anglican Church of Australia

For further information contact: mjhillier@ozemail.com.au