Updated 9.10 am, 4th February, 2016
Refugee advocates have urged the Australian Government not to send a group of more than 250 people – including 37 babies born in Australia – to Nauru following yesterday’s High Court decision rejecting a challenge to the nation’s offshore processing program.
The High Court ruled in a 6-1 decision handed down on Wednesday that the Federal Government had the power under the constitution to detain asylum seekers in other countries such as Nauru.
Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia, said the High Court decision did not “compel” the Australian Government to send the “innocent and vulnerable” people back to Nauru.
‘We urge the government to consider the best interests of these children, and their families and do everything in their power to ensure their safety and protection, by keeping them in Australia,” he said in a statement released after the decision was handed down on Wednesday.
“Despite the extraordinary efforts the Australian Government has gone to in attempting to keep the horrifying abuse in Australia’s offshore detention camps a secret, we know that people sent there by Australia cannot have their safety assured…” he said.
Mr Power said the fate of the families was now in the hands of the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.
“We urge them to put politics aside and act with leadership and compassion to allow these children and their carers to have a security and hope,” he said.
The more than 250 people – whom Mr Dutton has previously signalled will be sent to Nauru – include more than 220 adults and children brought to Australia for medical assistance as well as 37 babies born in Australia.
Following the decision, Mr Dutton said people brought to Australia from Nauru for medical assistance would be returned once that assistance was no longer needed but he hasn’t provided a timetable.
Meanwhile The Australian reports that the Anglican Dean of Brisbane, Peter Catt, yesterday declared St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane a “sanctuary” for those facing removal to Nauru. Dr Catt, who is also the chairperson of the Australian Churches’ Refugee Taskforce, told newspaper the High Court ruling “fundamentally goes against our faith, so our church community is compelled to act, despite the possibility of individual penalty against us”.
He said the “extraordinary step” would attract the attention of church communities around the world and that while there might not be a legal basis for the Old Testament concept of sanctuary, he was prepared for the “appalling spectacle” of authorities raiding the cathedral to remove asylum seekers.
The church is the latest in a number across the country which have similarly declared they would provide a sanctuary to asylum seekers. According to The Australian, they include St George’s Anglican Cathedral, St Cuthbert’s Anglican Church and Wesley Uniting Church in Perth, the Pitt Street Uniting Church, Gosford Anglican Church and the Wayside Chapel in New South Wales, the Pilgrim Uniting Church in Adelaide, St David’s Anglican Cathedral in Hobart and Christchurch Anglican Cathedral in Darwin.
