Our hearts break for the tragic loss of Mr Mano Yogalingam who took his life on Tuesday at the age of 23. Mano & his family arrived in Australia when he was 11, escaping a regime in Sri Lanka that actively committed atrocities against the Tamil community. Mano's appeal for asylum was rejected by the Australian government under the controversial “fast-track” system introduced in 2014. Mano had been living in limbo on a bridging visa for 11 years.

Anthony Albanese this suffering and loss of life is unacceptable and could have been avoided! We need urgent reforms to stop this cruelty to asylum seekers on bridging visas.

Our hearts go out to Mano’s family, friends and the Tamil community. May he rest in eternal peace.

Photo credit: ABC news (supplied)

Read our latest media release FIRST NATIONS LEADERS CALL ON AUSTRALIA TO SET URGENT DEADLINE FOR END TO FOSSIL FUELS.

Climate change affects us all, but not equally. Right now, Pacific communities are paying for the climate crisis and a new report, launched this morning in Tonga, shows that Australia and New Zealand must step up and ensure that polluters pay for climate damages - not Pacific women and their communities on the frontlines. In the spirit of justice and solidarity the Edmund Rice Centre calls on the Anthony Albanese government to step up by supporting an ambitious climate finance goal at COP29 and ensuring Australia contributes its fair share of climate finance. Click here to read the full report.