RAC activist Margaret Sinclair reported on the situation for refugees in Indonesia to the executive of the Victorian Trades Hall Council on 23 June.

The executive carried the following motion unanimously.

Victorian Trades Hall and its affiliates note that 14,000 refugees are trapped in Indonesia, most for eight years and many for ten years or more.

Australian governments have contributed to this inhumane situation. In November 2014, Scott Morrison, then Minister for Immigration, announced that Australia would not accept any refugees who applied through the UNHCR for resettlement after 1 July 2014.

Refugees in Indonesia are not allowed to work, study, get a driver’s licence or get married.

Before the 2022 federal election, Labor said it would give “appropriate consideration” to resettlement of those recognised as refugees in Indonesia by the UNHCR.

Its policy also stated: “Subject to Australian vetting processes and sovereignty concerns Labor will positively consider such refugees for inclusion within the increased humanitarian intake.”

One year on from the election, Victorian Trades Hall therefore calls on the Labor federal government to lift the ban on refugees arriving in Australia from Indonesia through the UNHCR program and expedite their transfer.

Victorian Trades Hall encourages all affiliates to invite speakers from refugees who have been in Indonesia, and from the Refugee Action Collective.

Join these events, demanding freedom for refugees and permanent protection.

Rally | End the cruelty: permanent visas for all

Sunday 8 October, 2pm at the State Library

Check the Facebook event.

Protest | Bring refugees from PNG to safety

Wednesday 11 October, 11am at the Langham Hotel, Southbank in the city

Check the Facebook event.

Rally | Bring them here: end the ban on refugees stuck in Indonesia

Saturday 18 November, 2pm at the State Library

Check the Facebook event.

Weekly organising meetings

Every Monday at 6.30pm, Kathleen Syme library, Carlton

Also on Zoom: check the Facebook event.

Father Bob Maguire was an advocate for the poor, the homeless and those who were marginalised by society.

He was also a fierce advocate for refugee rights. 

Many will have seen him at the Park Hotel/Prison last year at age 87, when he entered the cage in solidarity with the men held in the Park.

Again last year, Father Bob accepted RAC’s invitation to speak at the MITA detention centre against the incarceration of refugees and the 501s. (See photo.)

Father Bob’s connection and advocacy with RAC dates back to 2017.

On 2 September 2017, RAC called an action outside State Parliament under the slogan, LET THEM STAY-MAKE THEM WELCOME-BRING THEM HERE.

The speaking list at the event was: Aran Mylvaganam – Tamil refugee; Andrew Giles – then shadow Immigration Minister; Dr Helen Driscoll – trauma psychiatrist; Shawfikul Islam – Rohingyan refugee; and a late inclusion, Father Bob.

A message was left by Father Bob’s assistant that he couldn’t speak at the protest because he had two weddings to perform on that day.

I called back to thank the assistant for getting back to me, but to my surprise Father Bob picked up the phone, we had a long chat and he asked lots of questions about RAC. 

At the end of our chat he said he would come and speak at the protest before the weddings, but warned he would need to make a quick getaway to make it on time for the weddings.

There was a huge police presence at the protest, nothing out of the ordinary, but what was extraordinary was that l had three policemen come up to me wanting to find out whether it was true that Father Bob was going to speak. It appeared they were fans.

Needless to say, the police on the day were quite friendly.

Thank you for you love and solidarity, Father Bob. Vale.

Helen Panopoulos, on behalf of RAC

On Tuesday 7 March the RAC activists who had been fined in 2020 for our car cavalcade outside the Mantra Hotel, to show support for Medevac refugees detained there, went to Heidelberg Court for a contest mention. We held a brief protest out the front.

The magistrate listened to our lawyer summarise our case: that we were exercising “care and compassion”, one of the permitted reasons for leaving the house, and that we were volunteering as RAC volunteers, again another permitted reason for leaving the house. 

The magistrate asked a few questions, and then asked the police why it was in the public interest to pursue us.

He told the prosecutor to go away and make phone calls to ensure that she really did have instructions to pursue the case. 

We came back after lunch to hear that yes, she really did have those instructions. She confirmed that our case was with “senior legal” because of its high profile. 

The magistrate set yet another mention for 5 May, one last chance for the police to drop it. 

Then the magistrate dealt with two of our party who wanted a sentence indication. He essentially gave them a “proven” with no sentence. So they don’t have to pay their fines, and they don’t have a “guilty” conviction recorded either. Another slap to the prosecutors. 

RAC activists don’t have to attend on 5 May, so there won’t be a protest. But once we have a date for the real hearing then we’ll welcome as many people as possible to stand up for the right to show solidarity with refugees.

Read more about the case.