Snap Action: No to Life Bans

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Date/Time
Date(s) - Wed 30 Nov 2016
08:30 - 09:15

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The lifetime ban bill is teetering on a knife edge, and the vote in the senate will come down to just a couple of votes. It is essential we intervene now to send the strong message that this bill is opposed by our community. This before-work snap action will be cohosted with Amnesty International.

We will meet at 8:30am on Wednesday November 30th on the lawns of Parliament House to stand with the men, women and children on Manus and Nauru. We’ll will have some signs, but we also encourage you to make & bring your own signs as personal messages are important & we we’d like to see as many people as possible holding them. Some of our key messages are: #BlockTheBill and #NoToLifeBans.

The lifetime ban bill would see all who arrived by boat after mid-2013 banned from entering Australia under any circumstances. This cruel measure could tear 20 families apart, by banning individuals from ever visiting their family in Australia. Powers to lift the ban would sit with the immigration minister, and would not be subject to review, giving the minister the power to arbitrarily decide who enters Australia.

It is an unnecessary, and deliberately cruel measure, with the sole purpose of punishing refugees and pandering to racist sentiment. It is also in clear breach of our international obligations, including article 31 of the refugee convention.

Make sure you invite your friends on facebook. Between now and the snap action next Tuesday, you can also contact the crossbench senators at the numbers below, imploring them to vote against the bill:
* Nick Xenophon (NXT) — [senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au] — (08) 8232 1144
* Stirling Griff (NXT) [senator.griff@aph.gov.au] … (08) 8212 1409
* Skye Kakoschke-Moore (NXT) — [senator.kakoschke-moore@aph.gov.au] — (08) 8232 0220
* David Leyonhjelm — [senator.leyonhjelm@aph.gov.au] — (02) 9719 1078
* Derryn Hinch — [senator.hinch@aph.gov.au] — (03) 9820 2222
* Jacqui Lambie — [senator.lambie@aph.gov.au] — (03) 6431 2233