#Game Over

Rob Floyd, Assembly Associate General Secretary and Chairperson of the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce, urges people to be vocal in advocacy and join in with thousands of others seeking to bring about justice, dignity and a fair go for those who remain trapped in our Government’s unjust system.

4183 people have been affected by Australia’s offshore processing policy on Nauru and Manus Island since 13 August 2012. To further entrench the policy as a deterrent, since 19 July 2013, the Australian Government’s policy has been that none of these people will ever be settled in Australia, even if they are recognised as refugees.

About 950 have returned to their country or origin, and a similar number have been resettled in the US or another country.

More than 8 years later, staggeringly, 1428 remain in our offshore detention regime. Of this group, only 425 have a possible durable solution for resettlement, mostly in the US or Canada. Our Government continues to resist the New Zealand offer to resettle some of these refugees. That leaves one thousand people who have no durable solution to their circumstances. 130 remain in PNG, 109 on Nauru, and around 1200 are in detention in Australia. Some of this group are in locked detention, others are in community detention, and others are in the community on what has been called ‘final departure bridging visas’. This last group is given virtually no support, expected after 8 years in detention to be able to find work and look after themselves in this post-COVID world, until they can be deported or another resettlement solution can be found. The UCA Assembly is part of the Time for a Home Campaign, seeking the release from detention and permanent resettlement solutions for these people. The UCA Assembly is also part of the #GameOver campaign.

In this time, 14 lives lost and over $10 billion spent. It’s time to call #GameOver.

Our Government must do better! We must resolve the situation facing these people.