Nine Margaret River community groups have joined an Australia-wide protest condemning the ill-treatment of asylum seekers on Manus Island, and calling for them to be brought to safety in Australia where appropriate final destinations can be found.
The alliance is made up of Amnesty Margaret River, Uniting Church Margaret River, Margaret River Professional Social Workers, Tig Le House, Just Home Margaret River, the Margaret River Community Centre, Margaret River Regional Environment Centre, Transition Margaret River and the Margaret River Chamber of Commerce.
The collective has launched an online petition which appeals to the Augusta Margaret River Shire Council to write to the Prime Minister and local MP Nola Marino, requesting that those incarcerated on Manus Island be evacuated, and for offshore detention to be terminated.
We are pleased Council will hear our representation, and hope the Shire will express to the Government the community's determined voices for decency.
- Rod Whittle, Amnesty Margaret River
The petition will be presented at the Council meeting on Wednesday November 22 and members of the public are urged to sign the petition and attend the meeting to support the presentation of the petition to Council.
Amnesty Margaret River spokesperson Rod Whittle said the group was pleased Council would hear the message of the alliance.
“The situation for the Manus detainees is now desperate and there is no need at all for the cruelty there, or on Nauru, to continue,” he said. “Australia has a navy to protect its borders and good relations with regional neighbours which could foster cooperative asylum seeker processing that would make boat journeys unnecessary.
“This would be at a lot less cost than the current inhumane billion dollar per year system. We are pleased Council will hear our representation, and hope the Shire will express to the Federal Government the community's determined voices for decency.”
To sign the petition visit www.change.org/p/shire-of-augusta-margaret-river-council-safetyforallpetitionshireofaugustamargaretriver