Come to our monthly group meeting, third Monday of the month, and honk-a-thon, first Friday of the month, or e-mail or call us to find out more. We stand up for the voiceless. Amnesty International is calling on the Australian Government to;
- End offshore processing and instead process all refugee claims made in Australia on the Australian mainland
- End indefinite mandatory detention and instead
place asylum seekers in the community once initial checks are completed
- Ensure that Australia's refugee status determination system is fair and robust
- Commit adequate resources to developing a regional approach to refugees and asylum seekers. Millions of people around the world flee persecution and conflict in their homelands to seek asylum in other countries and rebuild their lives. The Tasmanian Refugee Rights Action Group works to bring about a more compassionate and practical response for refugees and people seeking asylum, both in Australia and overseas. We convene a monthly meeting for activists around Tasmania to discuss and act upon issues involving refugees. We run different campaigns, activities, and meetings, attempting to improve the harsh and saddening condition of asylum seekers in Australia. All are welcome to join us for our monthly meeting, which is held on the 3rd Monday of every month at 5:30pm at the Tasmanian Action Centre. First Floor, 130 Macquarie Street,
(entrance via laneway)
Hobart TAS 7000
For more information about the group please contact the co-convenors Carol and Peta at [email protected] or call the action centre on 03 6221 1000. For more information see: http://www.amnesty.org.au/refugees/
General Information
In Australia, the debate around asylum seekers and refugees has largely been framed by myths and misconceptions. Community attitudes have been shaped by emphasis and rhetoric around “border protection” concerns, and the idea that asylum seekers are “breaking the rules”. Despite the rhetoric, the facts are simple:
Asylum seekers are not breaking the rules - it is legal to seek asylum by boat in Australia (Australian Migration Act 1958)
Asylum seekers arriving by boat make up less than 2% of Australia’s annual immigration - at current arrival rates (5000 people a year) it would take 20 years to fill the MCG
Nearly all asylum seekers arriving by boat are genuine refugees fleeing persecution, torture and violence.
