Template letter
This week, Parliament is debating the Evacuate to Safety Bill, which seeks to temporarily move up to 150 people being held offshore to Australia while more durable solutions are found.
Since the change of Government in Australia, we’ve been grateful to see more compassion applied to our polices regarding people seeking asylum. We know the difference that will be made by moving almost 20,000 people off temporary visas onto permanent ones, where they are now free to pursue a safe, stable and dignified life here in Australia.
However, more needs to be done.
The Australian Government still chooses to detain more than 150 people in immigration detention in Nauru and Papua New Guinea – not because of wrongdoing on their part, but as a deterrent to others who would seek to arrive here by boat.
Please join us in action today by sending an email to your Federal Member of Parliament.
The template letter below can be used and adapted to email your Federal Representative, encouraging them to support the Evacuate to Safety Bill.
Find your MP's contact details here.
Please also join us in prayer for our leaders to be grounded in wisdom and compassion as they approach this debate on the Evacuate to Safety Bill, putting people above politics. Pray that our leaders find a way to provide people seeking asylum a pathway to safety, hope and dignity, rather than enduring the cruelty of indefinite detention.
Dear <<enter MP's name here>>,
My name is <<first and last name>>and I live in <<Suburb, State/Territory>>. As one of more than 56,000 Australian Christians who are part of the Common Grace movement, I am writing to you today to voice my concern for the plight of people seeking asylum in Australia and across the world.
I have been thankful for the shifts towards compassion in Government policy around people seeking asylum in our country. The decision to give 20,000 people on temporary visas permanent settlement options will provide this cohort with safety, stability and an opportunity for a dignified life in Australia.
I am also aware though that there is much more our nation can and should do to be a welcoming and compassionate society for those fleeing violence and persecution.
This week, Parliament is debating the Evacuate to Safety Bill, which seeks to temporarily move up to 150 people being held offshore in Nauru and Papua New Guinea to Australia, while more durable solutions are found.
The harms of indefinite offshore detention are well documented. It feels particularly cruel that we do this to people for simply seeking asylum and safety on our shores – not because we feel they deserve it, but as a deterrent to others.
We know the Government wants to see the number of people in offshore detention rapidly reduced.
The bill being debated in parliament is one pathway to do this. I ask that in the debate, people are put above politics and you work to find a way to provide a pathway for people seeking asylum to find safety, hope and dignity rather than enduring the cruelty of our offshore detention system.
Kind regards,
<<Your name here>>
Thank you for taking action today. If you would like to keep up to date with how to take action with Common Grace for justice for people seeking asylum please sign up with your email on our home page.