Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News Australia

Vinnies call for release of refugees detained in Australia

byPeter Bugden
4 February 2021 - Updated on 18 May 2021
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA

Cry for freedom: Raj is among more than 120 refugees detained at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

THE St Vincent de Paul Society is calling on the Federal Government to release refugees still in detention in Australia.

It has made the call while welcoming the Government’s recent decision to release 58 refugees, previously transferred to Australia for medical treatment.

Others are still being detained in a Brisbane hotel and elsewhere in Australia.

The St Vincent de Paul Society’s national president Claire Victory said these refugees had become pawns in a battle of political ideology in Australia, even though most had been confirmed as refugees by the governments of Nauru and Papua New Guinea prior to their medical transfer to Australia under the repealed Medevac laws.

“We call on the Morrison Government to release around 200 people who are still detained across Australia after their arrival for medical treatment,” Ms Victory said.

“The impact of almost eight years’ detention, and the uncertainty of indefinite detention on the men’s mental health has been well documented.

“The men have been released on bridging visas, which leaves them vulnerable and largely unsupported in the community.

“We call on the Australian Border Force to brief not-for-profit organisations, such as the (St Vincent de Paul Society), who will be providing support to those being released into the community.

“The Australian Government should be working with not-for-profit organisations to ensure that these people have access to a financial safety net and are not left destitute.

“These people have been detained for so long – it is unreasonable to expect them to find a place to live, get a job and secure an income overnight.”

Related Stories

New report highlights Tigray atrocities, says Ethiopia could face famine

United Nations nuncio joins others in calling for end to hostilities in Ukraine

Catholic refugees from Afghanistan in ‘purgatory’ waiting for visas

Ms Victory said the release of refugees “on a short-term visa which provides no path to safe and permanent resettlement is not good enough”.

“The Morrison Government must now release its plan for a permanent resettlement solution for all these people.”

Refugee advocate Rebecca Lim, who is also a Queensland member of St Vincent de Paul Society’s national Vincentian Refugee Network, has been supporting refugees in detention at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane.

She supported Ms Victory’s statement about the release of refugees into the community without support.

“It’s a bad prospect to release people without an employment record or a housing record into the community to support themselves,” Ms Lim said.

“These people need income support.

“If they have income support we can provide everything else they need.

“Responsibility cannot be shifted back to the community groups when the Government is responsible for the damage caused to these people.”

In its 2021 Federal Budget submission, the St Vincent de Paul Society has called on the Federal Government to:   

• Extend the Special Benefit Payment to up to 515 people who have been or are likely to be moved from community detention to final departure bridging visas.

• Make Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) payments based on need, such as for those awaiting assessments or a review of their claims for protection, including claims before the courts.

• Discontinue denial of SRSS payments to persons because they are studying or otherwise deemed eligible to work.

• Reinstate the 2014 eligibility criteria and fund the SRSS program at levels that existed prior to the 85 per cent cut in funding since 2017-18.

• Extend JobSeeker to people on bridging visas currently ineligible for income support

• Remove penalties for Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) holders accessing Special Benefit in light of the pandemic and remove restrictions on accessing Special Benefit for Temporary Protection Visa or SHEV holders who are studying.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Pandemic forced Australians to leave volunteer work, Palms Australia hopes to see returns in 2021

Next Post

In the liturgy, you pray with Christ who is next to you, Pope Francis says

Peter Bugden

Related Posts

New report highlights Tigray atrocities, says Ethiopia could face famine
News

New report highlights Tigray atrocities, says Ethiopia could face famine

5 March 2022
United Nations nuncio joins others in calling for end to hostilities in Ukraine
News

United Nations nuncio joins others in calling for end to hostilities in Ukraine

4 March 2022
Catholic refugees from Afghanistan in ‘purgatory’ waiting for visas

Catholic refugees from Afghanistan in ‘purgatory’ waiting for visas

12 January 2022
Next Post

In the liturgy, you pray with Christ who is next to you, Pope Francis says

New Yarrabilba Catholic college starts year with inaugural Mass at St Stephen’s Cathedral

No criminal misconduct found after AFP investigation into Vatican payments

Popular News

  • Plans for indigenous elements, memorials to trauma, to complement Catholic liturgy

    Plans for indigenous elements, memorials to trauma, to complement Catholic liturgy

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mass with signs of indigenous respect launch historic Plenary Council assembly

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ‘For the moment, no,’ – Pope Francis dismisses resignation rumours in wide-ranging interview

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Future First Nations teachers honoured with Rome scholarship

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Called to share the message of Jesus at mission school

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women
News

Plenary Council assembly reaches decision day about the Church role of women

by Mark Bowling
6 July 2022
0

AMIDST global debate about the role of women in the Catholic Church, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge says...

‘For the moment, no,’ – Pope Francis dismisses resignation rumours in wide-ranging interview

‘For the moment, no,’ – Pope Francis dismisses resignation rumours in wide-ranging interview

5 July 2022
Plans for indigenous elements, memorials to trauma, to complement Catholic liturgy

Plans for indigenous elements, memorials to trauma, to complement Catholic liturgy

5 July 2022
Spirit of Mission: A group of young people including university students, seminarians and ministry workers present at the Xavier School of Mission held June 20 to 24. The mission school hosted guest speakers and workshops to encourage people to go out and proclaim the Word. Photo: Joe Higgins

Called to share the message of Jesus at mission school

4 July 2022
Cathedral green packed with families for festival day

Cathedral green packed with families for festival day

4 July 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping