The Government has struck a deal with Malaysia to expel the next 800 asylum seekers who travel to Australia in search of our protection and support. Unfortunately, the Government can do this without parliamentary approval.
The Government is shirking its international responsibilities by sending asylum seekers to a country where their human rights are not guaranteed. Malaysia does not have a good record when it comes to the treatment of vulnerable asylum seekers; caning and capital punishment are common place. Despite the Prime Minister's verbal assurances, nothing in the written agreement between our two countries allays the concerns of legal experts and human rights advocates.
The Government has many questions to answer about this deal - where does the responsibility of Australia start and end, what recourse does Australia have if human rights commitments are not met, what happens to children and other particularly vulnerable groups and how will Australia assess claims of those seeking protection from Malaysia? The Greens are pushing for a Senate Inquiry into this deal, so we can finally get answers to these and other questions. And to give you the oppotunity to have your say.
16th August 2011
Poll confirms a majority of Christians support marriage equality
Sarah Hanson-YoungSarah Hanson-Young, 16th August 2011
We're back in town
We politicians are back in Canberra this morning after a five-week winter recess.
Sarah Hanson-Young, 9th August 2011