MEDIA RELEASE

NATIONAL
GPO BOX 573, GOODWOOD SA 5034
Phone: (08) 7070 6070 Fax: (08) 7070 6050
sadems711@internode.on.net

Saturday, 25 July 2015

JEANIE WALKER
NATIONAL ASYLUM SEEKER SPOKESPERSON

DEMOCRATS SLAM LABOR CAPITULATION ON REFUGEES

The Democrats slam the Australian Labor Party and their abandonment of its proud tradition of
standing up for those who need our Nations help and its abandonment of Australias international
obligations under the UN Refugee Charter.
People within the Labor party across factions have been showing their distress and disillusionment
on social media this evening, said Jeanie Walker, Australian Democrats Spokesperson on Asylum
seekers.
Labor members are rightly angry at the lack of backbone and leadership from Bill Shorten.
Seeking asylum in Australia is not illegal. People came by boat because they are desperate,
escaping war, religious and political persecution and torture.
Turning refugees back when safe to do so, is taken directly from the Liberals policy manifesto at
the last election. All this policy will do is hide the boats and make asylum seekers some other
countrys problem.
While Bill Shorten argues that Australia must seek a regional solution and that unilateral actions
should not be taken to resolve the refugee crisis, his policy proposal does just that. Turning back
boats without consulting Indonesian authorities is a unilateral action that Indonesia will rightly bristle
at.
The Australian Democrats will never support the offshore processing of refugees and with good
reason. You only have to look back and see that offshoring in effect removes oversight,
accountability and accessibility to legal protections under Australian law.
Instead, the offshore refugee scheme encourages secrecy, corruption and breaches of human
rights. This weak small target policy from Mr Shorten has to go.
The Democrats encourage disillusioned Labor members to do something about it. Instead of
feeling helpless, you can do something positive. Join the Democrats, concluded Ms Walker.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jeanie Walker 0427 076 336

See also our campaign to save Mohammad Albederee on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Mohammad-Albederee/377552889121059

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE

www.facebook.com/australiandemocrats

www.australian-democrats.org.au