Jimmy Barnes joins Nauru protest rally over treatment of refugees
SINGER Jimmy Barnes was among thousands of people at a protest in Sydney today, rallying against the treatment of refugees being kept in offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. He took aim at the federal government’s refugee policy.
NSW
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JIMMY Barnes has taken aim at Scott Morrison’s government over its refugee policy saying “we’re going to take your jobs”.
The Cold Chisel front man was a spectator at a protest rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park on Saturday where a crowd of a 2000 railed against the treatment of refugees and their children being kept in offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru.
Mr Barnes was not a scheduled speaker or performer. Instead, he turned up with his wife and extended family and watched proceedings from the back of the crowd.
“I can’t believe Australia is being represented like this,” Mr Barnes told The Sunday Telegraph.
“I travel the world working and people look at us and say look at the state of your government; look what you are doing to people.”
He accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of pandering to the right wing of the Liberal Party on the government’s refuge policy.
“He has no idea, no policy and he is scrambling, trying to save his job or please the right wing of his party,” Mr Barnes said.
“The only way we’re going to change is and say (to the government) we’re going to take your jobs.
“It’s an absolute scandal that these people are still kept in detention I can’t stand to see kids losing the will to live.
“I’m a father and a grandfather and I’m here with my grand kids and I think it’s disgusting.”
Thousands gathered in Hyde Park for the rally, which was organised by the Refugee Action Coalition and featured protest music and several speaker calling for the government to bring refugees to Australia.
Those speakers included former political candidate and human rights lawyer George Newhouse and Father Rod Bower from the Anglican Church of Newcastle.
“We must say, never again will we allow the denial of human rights to be a viable political strategy,” Mr Bower told the crowd.
Police blocked off traffic on Elizabeth and Park Streets as the protest marched down those streets and through Pitt Street Mall before reconvening in Hyde Park.
The protest saw traffic backed up on Elizabeth St and several other busy city roads for hundreds of metres.
A number the stranded motorists beeped their horns and yelled at the protesters.
“Get off the f**king road you putrid c*ts,” yelled one man in a white Audi 4wd who declined to give his name.
“It’s not our problem.”