Justice for refugees NOT Gillard's "East Timor solution"

Socialist Alliance candidate for Perth, Alex Bainbridge, has described PM Julia Gillard's speech at the Lowy Institute today as advocating more detention instead of genuine compassion and justice for refugees. He will protest outside Julia Gillard's breakfast speech on Friday morning along with others from the Refugee Rights Action Network.

"The essence of Julia Gillard's policy announced today is to establish an 'East Timor solution' which is a direct continuation of the approach of John Howard and Kevin Rudd," said Bainbridge.

"The real policy we need is one based on compassion and justice - that is resettlement in the Australian community," said Bainbridge.

"The simple fact is that detention is detention - regardless of whether that detention is at Christmas Island or Leonora, East Timor or Nauru."

"People fleeing persecution and hardship need freedom - and that is the one thing that Labor and Liberal governments in Australia are refusing to give them."

"For ordinary people in this country trying to work out which is the best policy to support, one basic principle should guide us: you can't expect justice for yourself unless you support justice for others as well. That means we should welcome refugees."

"I will be joining the Refugee Rights Action Network protest outside Julia Gillard's breakfast speech at the Hyatt Hotel on Friday morning. It is only by speaking out and protesting that a better policy can be won."

For further information and comment:
Alex Bainbridge 0413 976 638

NB: The protest will be 7-9am, Friday 9 July, Julia Gillard's breakfast speech, Hyatt Hotel, Adelaide Terrace, Perth.

[This media release was sent by Alex Bainbridge on Tuesday 6 July 2010. Protest details updated Wed 7 July.]