While the Prime Minister of Australia went to Europe and the United Nations to boast how well the government was helping refugees, the real situation for thousands of refugees in Australia is very different. In the two Pacific Island concentration camps, refugees are still being subjected to Australia’s repression. In Nauru, refugees have set a protest camp that is now approaching 200 days, while in Manus the refugees are resisting moves to be forced back to their home countries. Within Australia, there are almost 30,000 refugees stuck in the bureaucratic nightmare of a ‘Bridging Visa’ where their study and work rights are severely restricted, they cannot get family members to join them and they are not allowed to leave Australia. A major refugee forum will be held in Melbourne on the 1 October 2016.
While the Prime Minister of Australia went to Europe and the United Nations to boast how well the government was helping refugees, the real situation for thousands of refugees in Australia is very different. In the two Pacific Island concentration camps, refugees are still being subjected to Australia’s repression. In Nauru, refugees have set a protest camp that is now approaching 200 days, while in Manus the refugees are resisting moves to be forced back to their home countries. Within Australia, there are almost 30,000 refugees stuck in the bureaucratic nightmare of a ‘Bridging Visa’ where their study and work rights are severely restricted, they cannot get family members to join them and they are not allowed to leave Australia. A major refugee forum will be held in Melbourne on the 1 October 2016.
