Established in 2000, RAC is a democratic, grassroots activist collective, representing a broad cross section of the community. A summary of our political demands is:
- Abolish Australia’s mandatory detention of refugees, which violates basic human rights and contravenes the UN Refugee Convention, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the UN Convention on the Rights of t
he Child. Detention is not necessary to process claims, nor is it necessary for claimed “health and security” reasons. The nearly 6 million tourists who come to Australia each year are not detained for health and security checks. Before mandatory detention was introduced in 1992, asylum seekers were not detained for such checks.
- End the dangerous, and cruel policy of ‘turning the boats back’ and the use of military force and a ‘three-star general’ to do so; instead welcome asylum seekers, many of whom are fleeing persecution, torture and death in their home countries, to our shores.
- Abolish ‘offshore processing’ of people seeking asylum (e.g. the ‘Papua New Guinea Solution’, ‘Indonesia Solution’, ‘Malaysia Solution’) which sees refugees detained in cruel conditions in developing countries that have insufficient resources, inability to permanent resettle refugees, lack of basic health facilities, shelter, food and water. These policies have led to murderous attacks on refugees on Manus Island, with one man dead and 77 injured – Australia runs and funds the centres, this is Australia’s responsibility. Asylum seekers safety cannot be assured with offshore processing, these hell holes should be shut.
- Close the detention centre on Christmas Island as required by international law and recommended by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia.
- Preserve legal funding for asylum seekers pursuing refugee claims in Australia and reject attempts to strip refugees who come by boat of natural justice, fundamental legal rights and basic civil liberties. Reinstate rights of appeal to the Refugee Review Tribunal and courts. End “enhanced screening” of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka, which allows deportation to danger after an interview of 30min or less.
- End the arbitrary indefinite detention of refugees who are deemed to be ‘security risks’ by ASIO but who have never been accused or charged with any crime in Australia. Around 50 people have been imprisoned for between 4 and 5 years without trial, and with no legal right of review. ASIO should not have veto on refugee assessments. As a minimum refugees should have the same rights as citizens, to transparency of reasons for findings, transparent appeal, and not to be locked up because of a negative assessment. Indefinite detention must end.
- Permanent protection not Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs), which force those found to be refugees to reapply for visas every three years , with no chance of permanent resettlement or family reunion. Abolish plans to deny the almost 32 000 refugees who have already arrived in Australia and have been waiting to hear the outcome of their applications the possibility of permanent resettlement.
- Decriminalise “people smuggling”. Attacks on smugglers are designed to attack asylum seekers one step removed. People associate people smuggling with illegal activity, when it is not illegal to claim asylum at all. Yet, the penalties for people smuggling offences – up to 20 years jail for boats carrying more than five passengers – are now at the level of such crimes as terrorism, r**e and murder! For assisting asylum seekers! Laws against people smugglers make boat journeys more dangerous, by ensuring that boats crews are young and inexperienced.
- Increase, rather than reduce, Australia’s intake of humanitarian refugees.
- Increase the intake of refugees directly from Indonesia to provide safe pathways for asylum seekers to claim asylum in Australia.
- Stop racist scapegoating such as calling asylum seekers “illegals”, “economic migrants”, and “queue jumpers.”
- Compensate those refugees who suffer on-going psychological and physical harm as a result of lengthy detention.
- Stop fanning the lie that Australia is in danger of being overrun by boat people. Australia takes 200,000 permanent migrants each year, whereas 20,000 is the highest number of asylum seekers to ever have arrived by boat in a single year. Educate the public about our obligations to refugees under Australian and international law. We recognise the dispossession and genocide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and we recognise this land was never ceded. We see the struggle for refugee rights as being deeply connected to the fight for justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We reaffirm the interconnection between all struggles against Australian racism and stand in solidarity with campaigns that challenge it. RAC acknowledges the support given by Aboriginal people, activists and Elders to the cause of Refugees’ rights, including giving Aboriginal passports to refugees denied asylum by the Australian state.
