Albanese Government should provide permanent visas to people failed by fast-track
As a twenty-four-hour protest led by refugees reaches 100 days, the Human Rights Law Centre is calling on the Albanese Government to provide permanent visas to the 8,500 people who have been stuck in visa uncertainty and limbo for the last 12 years.
The Human Rights Law Centre stands in solidarity with the encampment and unequivocally supports their calls for visa equality for people failed by the former Coalition Government’s broken ‘fast-track’ refugee processing system.
The protests, which began in Sydney and Melbourne, have spread nationwide putting pressure on the Albanese Government to end 12 years of limbo and uncertainty for around 8,500 people.
On the hundredth day of protest, organisers will today be packing down the encampment but their calls for visa equality will continue.
Sanmati Verma, Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre, said:
“For the past one hundred days refugees have led one of the longest-running refugee protests in Australia’s history, sleeping in the cold and rain outside the Department’s office to demand that people failed by the broken ‘fact-track’ process are afforded a permanent home.
“The Albanese Government knows that the fast-track was unjust and unfair, it’s why they finally abolished it, but now they need the courage to provide permanent visas for those that were failed by it.
“After 12 years of uncertainty, these people have the right to build a future for themselves and their families. The Albanese Government must afford them the dignity and security they are owed with permanent visas now.”
Media Contact:
Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager
Human Rights Law Centre
0430 277 254
chandi.bates@hrlc.org.au
Media Enquiries
Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager
Albanese Government must act on whistleblower reform as David McBride’s appeal dismissed
The Human Rights Law Centre, the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom and the Whistleblower Justice Fund are calling on the Albanese Government to act on urgent, robust whistleblower protection reform, after war crimes whistleblower David McBride’s appeal was dismissed today.
Read more
Tax whistleblower Richard Boyle’s guilty plea an indictment on Australia’s broken whistleblowing laws
The Human Rights Law Centre and the Whistleblower Justice Fund have condemned the Albanese Government’s ongoing prosecution of Richard Boyle, as the tax office whistleblower pleaded guilty at a hearing in Adelaide today.
Read more
Crisafulli Government’s shameful adult sentencing laws will harm kids, families, and communities
The Human Rights Law Centre and Change the Record have slammed the Crisafulli Government for passing laws that will sentence even more children to adult-length terms of imprisonment. The laws will lock up children for even longer, and harm kids, families, and communities.
Read more
Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Cammeraygal, Darug, Wadawurrung, Turrbal and Jagera people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
WARNING: This site contains images or names of people who have passed away.