Press Release: Socialist Alliance opposes refugee detention centre at Pontville

Socialist Alliance opposes refugee detention centre at Pontville, calls for community-based processing and housing of refugees.

15 April 2011

The Hobart branch of the Socialist Alliance was angered to hear of the plans to build a refugee detention camp in Pontville , Tasmania because we oppose mandatory detention of refugees. We call on the federal government to use community-based processing and settlement alternatives that respect human rights. “We want to welcome refugees into the state and into our communities, not see them locked up behind barbed wire”, said Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance’s refugee spokesperson. 

“Mandatory detention is inhumane and breaches fundamental human rights. The treatment of asylum seekers in this country has been shameful and we do not want our state to continue this legacy. The detention process has resulted in the intensification of trauma and irreparable mental health issues. Furthermore the entrustment of the detention centres to a privatised company, Serco, shamelessly prioritises corporate profit over human lives”, Forward said.

The suicide of Mohammed Asif Atay in Curtin detention centre on March 28 was the sixth known refugee to die in detention in the past seven months. Victoria Martin-Iverson from the Refugee Rights Action Network (RRAN) in Perth said she was told there was a suicide attempt every day at the Christmas Island detention centre.

Socialist Alliance is pleased to hear that there are plans to house women and children in the community, but we call on the government to also treat the 400 men who will be imprisoned at Pontville in the same way. “They do not need to be kept under 24 hour guard while their applications are assessed. The Kosovo refugees were not locked up in this way – they were free to come and go at will - so neither should these current refugees be locked up,” Forward said.

Refugees are not criminals. Mandatory detention was only brought into effect in Australia in 1994.  Australia is the only developed country in the world that detains asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa. "Understandably some in the Tasmanian community resent that $15 million will be spent on preparing the detention centre at Pontville when many public services are facing cut backs. The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre states that it is widely recognised by the UNHCR, an Australian parliamentary enquiry into the cost of detention centres and DIAC that community arrangements are far more cost effective than a detention centre," Forward said.

“We support the protests that will be held by refugee advocates at the Curtin, Villawood and Maribyrnong detention centres over the Easter weekend to call for an end to mandatory detention. In summary, we would welcome a project for housing new migrants and refugees in Tasmania but we oppose the building of yet another refugee detention camp”, Forward said.

For more info: Jenny Forward 0400 701 902

“DON’T LOCK UP REFUGEES IN TASMANIA!”

“DON’T LOCK UP REFUGEES IN TASMANIA!” Denison Candidate argues against Kevin Harkins' proposal


Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison, Mel Barnes, agrees with Kevin Harkins suggestion to bring refugees to Tasmania. However under one of his proposals Harkins suggests building a detention centre in the North-West in order to create jobs.


“This is an opportunistic and inadequate response to refugees”, Barnes said. “We should allow refugees to settle in the community. Being locked up in detention causes acute mental health problems in people who are already traumatised from war. Detention centres are also the most expensive option for the government to pursue. Why can’t the ALP show some leadership and compassion and close down all detention centres? We should process people’s claims quickly, in the community.”

98 % of people who arrive by boat have been found to be genuine refugees.

Most Australians are sympathetic towards the plight of refugees with eight out of 10 people saying they would help a refugee to settle into their community, according to the results of an Australian Red Cross survey.

The survey of 1,000 people across Australia, released on 21st June, also found the majority of people (67%) agreed or strongly agreed that refugees have made a positive contribution to society. It also revealed 83% of Australians agree that those fleeing persecution should be able to take refuge in another country and 86% said they too would flee to a safe country if they lived in a conflict zone and were under threat.

Barnes said “These results show that the federal ALP government is out of touch with ordinary Australians. Instead of continuing Howard’s agenda of trying to bully other poor countries in the region to do Australia’s dirty work, Gillard should be taking a principled stand by:

- allowing the boats to land on Australian soil and processing claims quickly

- calling for Tamil’s human rights to be respected in Sri Lanka and pulling troops out of Aghanistan

- settling refugees into the community with full services and support.”

2010 Tasmanian State Elections

2010 TASMANIAN STATE ELECTIONS
Resource public services, not Gunns!
For a healthy, socially just, sustainable and democratic state

225 Murray St, Hobart, TAS 7000 / Phone: (03) 6234 6397 /

hobart@socialist-alliance.org

MEDIA RELEASE
28 November 2009

Socialist Alliance pre-selected two candidates for the March 2010 Tasmanian State Elections at a meeting in Hobart last week. Young climate activist Melanie Barnes will run in Denison and experienced human rights activist and social worker Jenny Forward will run in Franklin.

Both will be campaigning on a strong platform of environmental and social justice reform, including for:
· A big funding boost for public health, education, and housing
· Tasmania to lead the way on climate change by protecting old growth forests, achieving 100% renewable energy by 2020 and stopping subsidies to big polluters
· Scrapping water and sewerage charges, returning it to local control with state government back-up
· Public transport – free and frequent local buses or light rail, fast-speed trains not more Midland highway lanes.

Both activists are passionate about transforming Tasmania into a more democratic and sustainable state that can ensure jobs a good quality of life for ordinary people and lead the way on preventing climate change.


Melanie Barnes is a 26 year old climate change activist who works for an environmental NGO. She has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indonesian and political science from the University of Queensland. She has been a leader of Students Against the Pulp Mill protests, Walk Against Warming actions, as well as anti-war, refugee, education and women’s rights campaigns. She is the Hobart organizer of the socialist youth group Resistance. She has also studied in Indonesia and represented Tasmania in an educational solidarity tour of Venezuela.

Barnes said: “I am running in these elections because I take these issues seriously and want to inspire people to believe that there is an alternative and change can happen. Tasmania has so much potential to be able to deliver the things people really need and care about – a healthy environment, fulfilling jobs, community democracy and good healthcare and housing. But we need politicians who will put these issues ahead of big business concerns.”

Melanie Barnes, Socialist Alliance candidate for Denison Ph 0423 978 518

Jenny Forward has been a long term activist over the past 25 years both here in Tasmania and in Chile, in many areas including women's and human rights. She has also been active in the National Council of Single Mothers and Their Children as she is also a single parent herself of a daughter who is now 17. Jenny and her daughter have been living in Kingston for 3 years now after having lived in Taroona for 9 years. Her family are long time residents of the Huon Valley where they have worked as saw millers, truck drivers and farmers and her mother has worked as a teacher. Jenny became a social worker as a mature age student in 2001. She worked as a child protection worker for 5 years and for the past 2 years she has been working with migrants and refugees.

Jenny Forward, Socialist Alliance candidate for Franklin Ph 0400 701 902

Authorised by Susan Austin, 225 Murray St, Hobart, 7000.