Speakers include:
Jenny Leong, MP and NSW Greens Multiculturalism spokesperson Michael Thomson, Secretary NTEU NSW Plus speaker from University of Sydney Students' Representative Council
Lift the travel ban from China and implement a health based approach
No to quarantine on Christmas Island
Support international students wanting to come to Australia
No to racism and politics of fear
Solidarity with Wuhan and Chinese community
Last week, the World Health Organisation declared the novel coronavirus a public health emergency. A serious public health response is certainly needed in Australia to minimise the spread of infection and properly treat anyone who is sick.
However, the decision by the Morrison government to deny all entry to Australia for people travelling from China (apart from Australian citizens and permanent residents) was directly counter to the advice of the World Health Organisation not to close down borders.
Morrison is more concerned with appearing “tough on borders” and stoking fear in the community than with a proper health response. Many Chinese people are reporting an increase in racism. The use of Christmas Island detention centre to quarantine Australian citizens must also be challenged.
Join us at this rally to stand against racism, and to stand with all Chinese people and the city of Wuhan and the Hubei province suffering at the epicentre of the spread of infection.
Sponsored by Sydney Uni Student Representative Council and National Tertiary Education Union NSW RAC statement: No justification for Christmas Island evacuation stunt or detention centre
The Refugee Action Coalition condemns the use of Christmas Island as a dumping ground for asylum seekers and Australian citizens and residents being evacuated from Hubei.
“Using Christmas Island is a cynical attempt to legitimise it use as an offshore detention centre by giving it a role as a quarantine centre. But its use for asylum seekers or people being evacuated from China cannot be justified. The government has wasted tens of millions of dollars to detain one Tamil family, until now. Putting another couple of hundred evacuees from China on Christmas Island is shameless politicking,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“If anyone on Christmas Island actually needs serious medical help, they will be evacuated to the mainland to get it. The use of Christmas Island is a calculated political response that has nothing to do with any legitimate health concerns.
“For the government, the coronavirus has been an excuse to be seen to be tough on borders, as it tries to restore its damaged reputation for its lack of concern over the bushfires."
Donate to Manus and Nauru medical transfer support fund
Help refugee supporters in Brisbane support refugees from Manus and Nauru transferred under Medevac who are in detention or community detention for costs like phone credit. Please donate to their appeal here
No to racism - lift the travel ban from China
Donate to Manus and Nauru medical transfer support fund
