Justice4Refugees rally in Melbourne

All around Australia in capital cities thousands of people gathered to protest against the Government’s policies which have been condemned by the UN as a breach of human rights.

Church groups, unions, university and school students, political groups and the general public all joined together in the protests which were organised by refugee activist groups.

In each city, prominent individuals spoke to the crowds calling for more humanity to be shown to those in detention.

In Perth, Christian author Tim Winton, a notoriously private figure, gave a rousing speech which has since gone viral online. In it he draws together the Christian faith, themes of Palm Sunday, Australian mateship and the “fair go” and calls on Australia’s decision makers to soften their hearts:

“Jesus said: ‘What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world only to lose his soul?’ And I wonder: What does it profit a people to do likewise, to shun the weak and punish the oppressed, to cage children, and make criminals out of refugees? What about our soul as a people?

“We’re losing our way. We have hardened our hearts. I fear we have devalued the currency of mercy. Children have asked for bread and we gave them stones. So turn back. I beg you.  For the children’s sake. For the sake of this nation’s spirit. Raise us back up to our best selves. Turn back while there’s still time.”

The full transcript can be read on The Age website. You can watch the video below.

In Melbourne, Prof. Andrew Dutney, National President of the Uniting Church in Australia exhorted the crowd to “in all things, do to others as you have them do to you because in this you fulfil all the law and the prophets”, before saying the current policies were morally wrong.

After him came Rev. Ian Smith the Executive Officer of the Victorian Council of Churches, who read a statement from the Council.

“As the Churches approach our most sacred period, Easter, the Churches again affirm the Christian tradition of finding life in compassion, inclusion and in welcoming the stranger,” he said.

“This tradition reminds us of how Jesus reached out to the weak and vulnerable, including those on the fringes of society, and that today, Palm Sunday, is an expression of his life and teachings and the gift of peace for all.”

In Brisbane, Anglican Dean of Brisbane Dr Peter Catt stood alongside the QLD council of Imams, the QLD Council of Unions and a Dean of Law at Griffith University.