Vinnies at Palm Sunday Rally for Refugees: Permanent Protection for All

In February this year Vinnies joined other Catholic organisations in welcoming the Australian Government’s delivery on its election commitment to provide a permanent visa pathway for 19,000 refugees currently on Temporary Protection and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas, who have lived in uncertainty and disadvantage for many years (1).

However, Vinnies also acknowledges that thousands of other people under Australia’s care are still unable to seek our permanent protection in a fair and timely way. So, Vinnies invites Christians and people of good will in the Canberra region to join us at the annual Palm Sunday Rally to call for permanent and safe protection for:

• 150 people still held in PNG and Nauru after nearly ten years.
• over one thousand people brought to Australia from PNG and Nauru for medical treatment.
• hundreds still in Australian detention.
• thousands seeking asylum in Australia but still enduring the unfair fast-track refugee assessment process, many suffering destitution because they are unable to work.

We will also be calling on the Government to provide a proper financial safety net for these destitute people seeking asylum in the upcoming May budget (2).

These injustices must end. So, we Christians and all people of good will must continue to call publicly for a fairer and more compassionate approach.

The rally will be held in Garema Place at 1pm on Sunday 2 April. Vinnies members are meeting beforehand at 12.30pm next to the carousel in Petrie Plaza.

(1)  https://www.vinnies.org.au/icms_docs/336172_Plan_to_end_temporary_protection_policy_welcomed.pdf

(2)  https://www.vinnies.org.au/icms_docs/335931_2023-24_Pre_Budget_Submission.pdf