A number of refugees are still living in PNG after being sent there by the Australian Government for offshore processing of their protection claims. A number of refugee advocate groups are calling for action to pressure the Australian Government to bring the remaining refugees in PNG and those more recently sent to Nauru back to Australia.
One suggested action is to write individual letters to relevant Federal Ministers. You can use some of the points below to compose a letter in your own words. Sending people seeking asylum offshore for processing and holding them there for long periods is seriously harming their health. This is unjust and inhumane.
The report released by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) on 19 July 2024 “Health Crisis in Offshore Detention” provides a comprehensive summary of the serious harm that is done to the mental and physical health of refugees and people seeking asylum by Australia’s offshore processing and detention regime:
https://asrc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ASRCreport_Healthcrisisinoffshoredetention_July2024.pdf
• This situation is unjust and inhumane
• By continuing to hold people in PNG and Nauru, the Australian Government is actively harming these refugees and people seeking asylum
• Refugees and people seeking asylum have now been trapped in PNG for 11 years
• The endless waiting and uncertainty has taken a huge toll on their mental health
• They have been denied adequate medical care
• At least 14 people have died as a result of Australia’s offshore processing regime
• A small number from PNG are being resettled in third countries, but this is painfully slow and will take years for those who are eligible to actually be resettled
• Some of those in PNG are not eligible for NZ, Canada or the US and have no resettlement option;
• Leaving them in PNG is actively harming their mental and physical health
• The deterioration in their mental health is making it more difficult for them to be resettled
• Some in PNG are currently too ill to participate in any resettlement process
• The Australian Government needs to act
• On Nauru, refugees and people seeking asylum have been held there since Sep 2023 – now 11 months
• We know from the Nauru files the terrible harm done to those previously held on Nauru
• The Australian Government must not let this happen again
Solutions suggested are:
PNG
• This situation can be resolved by bringing them to Australia so that they are safe and can receive the support and medical care that they require
• All in PNG should be offered the option of being transferred to Australia while awaiting resettlement
• This was successfully done in 2023 for those who had been trapped on Nauru for ten years, and it can be done for those in PNG
• Those who are seriously ill in PNG need urgent transfer to Australia for medical care
Nauru
• Leaving people on Nauru will start another cycle of harm
• Medical care on Nauru is clearly inadequate
• They should be promptly transferred to Australia while their claims for protection are being assess and while awaiting resettlement
• They should not be left to languish on Nauru
Contact Details for Ministers
The Hon Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs
House of Representatives
Parliament House
PO Box 6022
Canberra ACT 2600
tony.burke.mp@aph.gov.au
The Hon Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for Immigration
House of Representatives
Parliament House
PO Box 6022
Canberra ACT 2600
matt.thistlethwaite.mp@aph.gov.au
Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Senate
Parliament House
PO Box 6100
Canberra ACT 2600
senator.wong@aph.gov.au
The Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Prime Minister
House of Representatives
Parliament House
PO Box 6022
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
https://www.pm.gov.au/contact