“My home is here”: Time for justice and permanency for people failed by ‘fast track’

Australia prides itself on being a land of opportunity, of offering a fair go to all who reside here.

Yet for people seeking asylum, the promise of a new beginning often collides with a harsh reality. Our current system, far from offering refuge, has become a labyrinth of injustice and insurmountable barriers.

The so-called ‘fast track’ process stands as a stark example of this broken system. Despite its name, this policy has trapped thousands in a state of prolonged uncertainty, caught in an agonising limbo, their lives suspended for up to 12 years.

In 2014, the Abbott Government and former Immigration Minister Scott Morrison stacked the refugee system against people who arrived by sea in search of safety. This system, the inaptly-named ‘fast track’ process, has since failed thousands of people seeking asylum. It has caused protracted delays, led to incorrect decisions, seen refugees deported to countries where they face persecution, and kept many in a state of perpetual limbo.

While Labor has acknowledged the ‘fast track’ system is unfair and committed to abolishing it, the fate of thousands of people who have lived in our community for more than a decade remains unclear.

Late last month, Refugee Council of Australia CEO Paul Power wrote to the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Tony Burke highlighting the urgent need to reassess the protection needs of those rejected through the ‘fast track’ process.

“The lack of robustness of the fast track process is sufficient reason for an urgent rethinking of the situation for all people who have been given negative decisions through it,” he urged.

Thousands of people failed by ‘fast track’ are still waiting for answers on whether the Albanese government will finally provide justice and permanency.

So, in the midst of a bitter winter, grassroots refugee groups spun up powerful 24-hour encampments across the country. In Sydney, the protest marked day 48 this weekend with a rally.

Hundreds of refugees marched outside Tony Burke’s office, calling for permanency after 12 years trapped in limbo.

Their calls were clear – “12 years – enough” and “my home is here”.

After more than a decade, it’s time for fairness and permanency for people failed by the ‘fast track’ system. It is time to finally give these people the chance to rebuild their lives and confirm what we all know – that Australia is their home.