Rural Australians joining together to make a difference to the lives of refugees & asylum seekers.
This is how we plan to go about it.
Our Ten Point Plan
As a Nation …
Australia should:
- Receive asylum seekers in accordance with the humane standards set out in the UN Convention on Refugees which Australia signed in 1954.
- Close all off-shore and remote detention centres and take full responsibility for processing asylum seeker claims here in Australia.
- Rescind all current legislation that condones and even encourages human rights violations and establish a formal multi-party parliamentary committee to draft refugee and asylum seeker policies that will gain bipartisan support.
- Do more to improve public understanding of the plight of asylum seeker issues and to dispel common myths.
- Provide orientation, training and support to urban and rural communities willing to assist refugees with accommodation and employment.
In our Region …
Australia should:
- Work with our Asia Pacific neighbours to find co-operative and non-punitive solutions to the flow of refugees into and through the region.
- Ensure that countries currently hosting disproportionate numbers of refugees are given appropriate support.
In the Global context …
Australia should:
- Use its position on the United Nations Security Council
- Seek a world-wide increase in aid for refugees
- Seek to influence oppressive governments who are persecuting their minority groups.
Rural Australians for Refugees calls on the Australian Government to seek solutions at
a global, regional and national level to address the international asylum seeker and refugee crisis.
