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Sydney: Richard Marles: What is to be done?
3 December 2015 @ 5:30 pm
AS CHRISTMAS APPROACHES….
REFUGEES, IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
WHO NEEDS PROTECTION?
THE HON RICHARD MARLES MP
Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
Thursday 3 December 2015
5.30 for 6pm
The Gallipoli Club, 12 Loftus Street (between Bridge Street & Alfred Street), Sydney
BAR OPENS AT 5 PM – LIGHT REFRESHMENTS
Labor’s immigration spokesman Richard Marles has initiated a private member’s bill in parliament which imposes a mandatory 24-hour reporting regime for any staff who “reasonably” believe a child is at risk. In his words, “This bill ensures that there is absolutely no doubt that staff have not only freedom to report abuse but a legal obligation to do so.” As he says, detention is no place for children.
The Hon Richard Marles MP is the federal member for Corio. As a senior figure in the federal opposition, Marles has made improvement of conditions for children in detention his mission. And, at a time of intense debate over “unlawful” migration, this might seem a brave stand to take when Labor governments both introduced detention of unlawful arrivals under PM Keating and continued the offshore detention of thousands – including children – under PMs Rudd and Gillard. Has Labor changed its position? Or is Richard Marles on to something the community is warming to?