Opinion Piece by the ERC Director 'Alopi Latukefu Published in The Canberra Times

As a Pasifika Australian deeply connected to my heritage, and in the face of the current Parliamentary debate on the Federal Government’s proposed Safeguard Mechanism, I feel a duty to speak up.

Fourth Sunday of Lent

What the world calls ‘seeing’ is really a blindness covered in darkness. What it calls blindness is perceptive and surrounded in love and goodness.  Samuel was sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king.  He was told to disregard those who exhibited strength, lofty stature, and regal appearance and choose David, a shepherd, and the youngest son. This choice illustrated God’s ability to work through unlikely people. 

Permanent Visas for all Refugees

Call for Peace

The Albanese Labor government has finally agreed to honour its promise to give permanent visas to 19,000 refugees on Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs). This means that after ten years in limbo, they will have the right to travel, family reunion and a secure future. But there are thousands of other refugees with no promise of permanent visas:
• 10,000 people rejected under the Coalition's unfair fast track processing system, including many now threatened with deportation
• 150 refugees still stranded on Nauru and PNG
• 1,200 Medevac refugees and families from Nauru who are now in Australia but told they cannot stay in Australia. Many have already been here for five years or more and have partners, jobs and lives here.