Kids off Nauru protest held at Tony Abbott’s electorate office
MEMBERS of Seaforth Baptist Church gathered in front of Tony Abbott’s electorate office to urge him to support a push to have children removed from the detention centre in Nauru.
Manly
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MEMBERS of Seaforth Baptist Church gathered in front of Tony Abbott’s electorate office to urge him to support a push to have children removed from the detention centre in Nauru.
The rally, at 4pm on Wednesday, follows comments the Warringah MP made in response to calls from medical groups to immediately remove children from the island.
“Nauru is no hellhole by any means. I’ve been there,” Mr Abbott told 2GB on Monday.
“If you like living in the tropics, it’s a very, very pleasant island.”
Vikki Howorth, Social Justice Pastor along with families from Seaforth Baptist Church stood in front of Mr Abbott’s office, in Manly, holding large banners with #KidsOffNauru written across them.
They also delivered a letter from the congregation urging him to take urgent action.
“Children and their families are trapped on the island of Nauru in cruel and inhumane conditions without access to adequate health, education or employment,” Ms Howorth said.
“The world’s refugee crisis is a complex problem, but locking up children is not the answer. No child should live like this.
“As Christians, we believe that every life is precious and that we should love our neighbours as ourselves.
“We can all relate to being children, whether from our own experience, or for some of us, as parents too. We wouldn’t accept this life for ourselves and we certainly wouldn’t accept this life for our children.
“The situation is now more urgent than ever.
“We must find a more humane way to justly and fairly process the protection claims for people seeking asylum. We must immediately evacuate these kids and their families to safety. “We desperately need our political leaders like Mr. Abbott to end the harm that is being caused by prolonged offshore detention.”
IN OTHER NEWS
The Australian Medical Association and Doctors Without Borders last week called for the immediate removal of children from the island, northeast of Australia.
Mr Abbott was travelling in remote South Australia on Thursday.
“It’s good to know what the local people are thinking,” he said.
“It’s important that those on Nauru get the best possible medical treatment.”
However, The Australian reported on Thursday, the Morrison Government plans to have all children of asylum-seekers still on Nauru relocated to Australia by the end of the year.