We welcome refugees

March 14, 2017 Ruth Halbert

Dear Prime Minister,

What is your response to Ai-Lene Chan's article in today's Guardian titled "The Waiting Game of refugee claims: the policy doesn't reflect community values"?

...it is the philanthropic strength of the community that fills the gap that the government has created and offers the safety net to those at their lowest. There is no doubt that most Australians want their peers to have the opportunity to live safely and thrive. So beyond giving money and empathy, we should be asking our government – why is there a backlog of 30,000 people’s refugee claims? Why aren’t these refugee applications processed within 12 months, or even two years? We should demand the department of immigration and border protection do what they are paid to do: process the applications, make a determination and let people get on with their lives.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/15/the-waiting-game-of-refugee-claims-the-policy-doesnt-reflect-community-values

Like Ai-Lene Chan I also demand DIBP do what they are paid to do. Process the applications. End the suffering.