MILDURA Council will seek an end to the indefinite detention of refugees and call for the release of all people who are held in arbitrary detention into permanent protection.
The council will also appeal to the “goodwill and humanity” of Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster, requesting that she bring the council’s stance to the attention of the Australian Government.
A notice of motion passed by the council said there were about 80 “vulnerable and desperate people” had been held in cities across Australia for more than 12 months since being brought to Australia for medical treatment.
Cr Stefano de Pieri said that while the issue may appear something that lay outside the direct responsibility of the council, it had a moral responsibility to “take these issues on” and bring them to the fore.
“It seems to me … that the major political parties have kind of co-operated in the continuing incarceration of people over a number of years,” Cr de Pieri said.
“It is unfair — I didn’t come to this country 44 years ago to witness this kind of unfairness,” he said.
“Who has invented this wicked torture of people?”
Cr de Pieri said the council had a responsibility to be heard on the issue.
“Local government has a voice, it’s the third estate — it has to raise its voice and say, ‘This is not fair’.
“This is a plea from the heart.”
Cr Helen Healy said it was important the council, being a signatory to the Refugee Friendly Zone, stood up on the issue.
“I look forward to that letter going to our Prime Minister, who recently has said in a speech, ‘You cancel out one human being and you cancel community, because community is just, it is human beings who God loves and it is intended to connect us all to one another’,” she said.
“I hope that sentiment of humanity will be realised when we look at this shameful issue that has gone on too long.”
