Broadbent refugee plea applauded

McMillan MP Russell Broadbent wants to see "genuine refugees" from Manus and Nauru settled on the Australian mainland. 161644_01

By Bonny Burrows

Refugee activists have praised outspoken McMillan MP Russell Broadbent for yet again taking a stand against his own government after he called for refugees not accepted by the United States to be settled permanently in Australia.
United States authorities have been interviewing and vetting refugees on Manus Island and Nauru, but it remains unclear how many they will agree to settle.
There are currently 1200 asylum seekers in the two detention centres and under the Commonwealth Government’s policy, slammed by the local MP, none of them will be resettled in Australia.
In a short speech to Parliament just before Question Time on 16 August, Mr Broadbent said it was “time for this Parliament to act to resolve the situation on Manus and Nauru”.
The local representative told Parliament he “couldn’t walk past” the opening par column from Australian journalist David Marr published by the Guardian Australia on 9 August.
It read: “If only Christians fought like this for refugees. Imagine if the Coalition’s big men of faith threatened to tear down their own government unless it brings home the wretches we’ve imprisoned in the Pacific. Surely there couldn’t be a greater service for Christ?”
Mr Broadbent said Mr Marr could be “pretty hard” when he writes, but “it comes out of his life experience, and I accept that”.
While “happy” with the process America is working its way through to a resolution, Mr Broadbent said those found to be genuine refugees could not be left to in indefinite detention if they were not resettled in the US.
Australia should help, he said.
“I couldn’t walk past it. Eventually you come to a place in your time – as a former member said – there’s a rubbish bin there and it smells and you can’t walk past it,” Mr Broadbent said.
“Enough, El Shaddai, enough.”
Mr Broadbent’s comments were met with a round of applause by those in the chamber.
Locally, residents in his electorate have also praised his stand.
Members of advocay group McMillan for Refugees said they were encouraged to hear Mr Broadbent, challenge his fellow Parliamentarians to “uphold their Christian values” and bring the asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru back to Australia.Anne Wilson, a convener of the group, said she had seen increased local support for refugees.
Many, she said, had embarked on a major letter writing campaign to politicians calling for government policies to be put right.
“As parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties, they recognize they would be so pained to see any of their loved ones inhumanely treated when they thought seeking asylum was the only way they would stay alive,” Ms Wilson said.
“It would be unthinkable to imagine any of them being imprisoned in the hell hole our asylum seekers have had to live in for four years, often without proper medical attention, mental health support or adequate legal support.”
She recalled a time in 2006 when Russell Broadbent crossed the floor to vote against the Howard Government’s off shore detention bill.
At the time he was quoted as saying: “If I am to die politically because of my stance on this bill, it is better to die on my feet than live on my knees”.
“In speaking out in Parliament, Russell Broadbent, joined by Cathy McGowan, Independent Member for Indi, and Lisa Singh, Labor Senator for Tasmania, are not on their knees, but are restoring the pathway that we have offered asylum seekers in the past fleeing war and terror, a pathway of dignity, trust and hope,” Ms Wilson said.
It is not the first time the outspoken MP has taken a stand against his own government.
Since March, Mr Broadbent has been campaigning against the Federal aged care funding allocation process in a fight which saw him resign from two paid parliamentary committee positions out of protest. ?????