Letter to Susan Templeman, MHR for Macquarie

[The BMRSG Letter Writing group meets approximately 10 times per year in Leura to discuss focus areas for each month’s letters and any responses received from previous campaigns.]

Leura, NSW

27th March, 2025

Dear Ms Templeman,

As a Federal election will be held on 3rd May, the members of the Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group would like to congratulate Labor on the inroads it has made in reducing the number of people awaiting permanent visas to stay in Australia and increasing the rate of processing applications to remain in Australia.

However, the situation facing thousands of refugees and asylum seekers is far from perfect. A shift in Australia’s approach to refugee and asylum seeker policy is urgently needed. Unfortunately, a principled and compassionate approach has been replaced by political expediency resulting in harsh and inhumane practices – similar to those introduced by the past Coalition governments. The reopening of Nauru detention facility; the abrogation of responsibility for those left on PNG; the 8,000 long term residents who are still awaiting decisions about their future under the discredited Fast Track scheme; the lack of work and study rights that applies to some visas; and our lack of a humane response to the UN Human Rights Committee ruling that Australia remains responsible for refugees and asylum seekers transferred to offshore detention in Nauru are just some of the problems inherent in current ALP policy.

As Australia is a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we can and should do better. We understand that, as a member of the ALP you are bound to abide by decisions endorsed by the party. We also know that you have been a long term friend of the BMRSG and have been sympathetic to the hardships facing refugees and asylum seekers in this country.

As you have encouraged us in the past to ask direct questions, we would like to know what you, as our representative in Parliament, are doing to change the government’s current draconian attitude to refugee issues and develop a more humane approach? We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Judy Reynolds (Coordinator) on behalf of the BMRSG Letter Writing Group