Refugee Heavyweights Join Forces For Tonight's 'Politics In The Pub'

Human rights lawyer and fierce critic of Australia’s punitive refugee policies Julian Burnside will be joined by the President of the Refugee Council for tonight’s ‘politics in the pub’ drinks in Sydney.

In an event being hosted by the group Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children, Burnside will discuss the hardening bipartisan consensus on refugee policies that has seen Labor embrace increasingly tough measures, culminating in the acceptance of turn backs at its recent national conference.

Burnside will be flanked by Director of the Edmund Rice Centre Phil Glendenning, who also serves as the President of the Refugee Council of Australia, the peak body for refugee support organisation in Australia.

Aside from the issue of turn backs, both have criticised Labor for stepping into line with the government by helping to pass the Border Force Act, which criminalises public disclosure of information received while working in detention centres.

Former immigration whistleblowers have said the laws will gag others from speaking out, and Burnside has vowed to defend anyone prosecuted under the new laws.

The talk is part of the Harold Park Hotel’s weekly politics in the pub discussions

When: Tonight (Thursday, August 13) at 18:30.
Where: Harold Park Hotel, 70A Ross Street, Glebe.
Event Link Here.