Homelessness and the search for safety
Homelessness and the search for safety Each year during Homelessness Week, we ask ourselves: what does it mean to be… Read More
Today, the Asylum Seekers Centre stands in deep disbelief as we witness the Albanese government pass legislation that strips away the most basic legal protections for people seeking safety in our country.
This is not just a legislative decision, it is a moral failure and a direct assault on fairness, justice, and human dignity.
By allowing deportations to third countries like Nauru without notice or the right to respond, this law will tear families apart, expose people to danger, and trample on the principle that everyone deserves a fair hearing no matter where they were born.
And by stripping away fundamental procedural rights from refugees and migrants – many of whom have already endured persecution, trauma, and prolonged detention – this bill moves Australia further away from its commitment to fairness and human rights.
This legislation isn’t just drafted to apply to those the government claims, but potentially could be applied to 80,000 people in our community who are now at risk simply because of where they were born.
The passage of these new laws will have a deeply chilling effect on multicultural communities, with the creation of a two-tier legal system under which migrants and refugees are excluded from the rights and protections all people in Australia should be afforded.
We are already seeing it in the fear, uncertainty, and degradation felt by the people we support. The impacts are real, they are serious, and they are long lasting.
The Albanese government’s backflip is a betrayal of the unity and fairness it promised voters at the last election.
This is shameful, but what’s clear from the process to pass this bill is that the government already knows this. Secret deals, no consultation, and rushed legislation all point to the fact they know this is wrong, but have chosen to do it anyway.
This Bill is not leadership – it is fear dressed up as policy. It is a shameful continuation of the use of cruelty as a political tool. It shows that the race to the bottom will continue to pick up pace, no matter who is in the lead. Migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum are seen as nothing more than a political football in the halls of power.
While this is a devastating setback, our focus now is on standing alongside the people and communities who will be most deeply affected by these cruel laws.
In moments like this, unity matters more than ever. We must come together, look after our community, and keep pushing for the fair, just, and compassionate Australia we know is possible.
