letter

Here is a letter I just wrote to my local MP about child abuse in detention centres.

I encourage you to also write to your MP. Feel free to copy my letter and insert the appropriate names at the top and bottom.

Email your local MP easily at: https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/refugees/speak-up-for-kids-in-detention/write-to-your-mp

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<Local Member's Name>,

You and your government recently passed the Australian Border Force Bill 2015, which has the effect of threatening anyone who reports child sexual abuse in detention centres with prosecution and a possible jail term of up to 2 years.[1][2] And this at the same time as we have a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Se*ual Abuse.

By what twisted logic does a decision by a child’s parents, to attempt to seek asylum in Australia, exclude that child from protection from this most heinous of crimes? These children should never have been in detention, and now they are being left there despite your knowledge that they are being abused.

There is only one explicable motivation for this legislation: a parliament ashamed of its actions is building a wall to hide its secrets and prevent public scrutiny.

In response to your party's policies, here is my new policy:

I will not vote for your party until they recant of this law. 

I will never vote for your party while it is lead by Tony Abbott. 

I will be asking my friends and associates to make the same commitment, and to ask the same of their contacts.

I hope you can see how far down the wrong path your party has gone and will work to convince your colleagues to correct your course.

Yours sincerely,

<Your Name>.


[1] https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2147990-open-letter-regarding-australian-border-force-act.html

[2] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-30/detention-centre-workers-face-imprisonment-for-whistleblowing/6584392