An open letter deploring the treatment of asylum seekers and signed by health care professionals, lawyers and academics was presented at the Cronulla office of Cook MP and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison today.
The letter was supported by a petition signed online by 71,000 people. Organisers say 300 of those who signed were residents of the Cook electorate.
Mr Morrison responded by saying Australians have a right to peacefully protest.
‘‘Many are only now finding their voices on this issue, having been silent as a record number of illegal boats arrived under the previous government accompanied by cost, chaos and tragedy on our borders,’’ he said.
“Our policies are saving lives, saving more than $2.5 billion to the budget, and increasing our ability to accept more legitimate refugees.”
Copies of the letter were presented simultaneously to the electorate offices of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, and the opposition’s immigration spokesman Richard Marles.
About 50 people, including Dr Michael Dudley, psychiatrist at UNSW and with the South East Health Service and chairperson of the Board of Suicide Prevention, rallied outside Mr Morrison’s electorate office in Cronulla at 12.30pm to hear speeches before presenting the letter and petition to one of his electorate staff.
Mr Morrison was not present at the time.
Organised by the Australian activist group GetUp, the letter was written by senior health professionals, human rights activists and religious organisations.
‘‘We delivered a letter accusing the federal government of carrying out wilful and deliberate harm to asylum seekers,’’ GetUp senior campaign Kelsey Cooke said.
‘‘Over 71,000 Australians have signed the online petition. This includes 300 resident Cook electorate.
‘‘More than 240 health professionals, academics and legal experts signed the letter.
‘‘It accuses the federal government of pursuing a policy known to cause severe mental and physical health problems to asylum seekers.
‘‘Some of these problems have been witnessed first-hand by health professionals.’’
The letter ws convened by Louise Newman, professor of developmental psychiatry at Monash University. It asked the government to abandon mandatory detention, cap detention at 30 days and adopt alternative solutions that are consistent with the Refugee Convention.
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