AUSTRALIA’S Catholic bishops have welcomed moves aimed at releasing children of asylum seekers from detention centres.
Bishop Eugene Hurley of Port Pirie, whose South Australian diocese takes in the Woomera and Baxter detention centres, commended the Federal Government’s latest decision to remove unaccompanied children from the high-security environment of detention.
He also welcomed a move to expand eligibility criteria to allow more children and family members to live in the community as part of the Woomera alternative detention project.
EThe bishops also were encouraged by the Labor Party’s proposed policy of processing asylum claims within 90 days and keeping families together in alternative detention arrangements.
Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee for Migrants and Refugees, Bishop Patrick Dougherty of Bathurst, said: ‘The announcement of Labor’s new policy on refugees and asylum seekers, and changes announced by (Immigration) Minister (Philip) Ruddock to the Government’s detention policy represent an important first step to addressing the inhumane conditions of immigration detention.’
Australian Catholic Social Justice Council (ACSJC) chairman, Bishop William Morris of Toowoomba, said the ACSJC and the Australian and NSW Conferences of Leaders of Religious Institutes launched ‘The Humanitarian Program for People Seeking Protection in Australia’ in August.
Catholic lobby group, Australian Political Ministry Network (PolMin), welcomed Labor’s proposed policy as a step in the right direction but said it failed to address the “real problems”.
PolMin co-ordinator, James McGillicuddy, said: ‘One of the key problems that Labor has ignored is preventing asylum seekers entering Australia to claim asylum.
