In the wake of a week that saw Australian Federal Police using tear gas and 'bean-bag bullets' to end asylum seeker protests on Christmas Island, Edmund Rice Centre Director, Phil Glendenning, today called for a major policy overhaul of Australia's management of asylum-seekers.

The Edmund Rice Centre today congratulated the Federal Government on the decision to introduce a carbon price from July next year, with Green and Independent support.

Edmund Rice Centre director, Phil Glendenning, has expressed grave concern at Australia's signing of an agreement that will allow for the deportation from Australia of Afghan asylum-seekers back into situations of danger.

This opinion piece prepared by Edmund Rice Centre Director, Phil Glendenning, expresses grave concern at Australia's signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Afghanistan, and highlights up to date evidence that demonstrates that the security situation for civilians is deteriorating rather than improving.

The time has not yet come for Australia to be signing an MoU with Afghanistan to permit the involuntary repatriation of unsuccessful asylum-seekers including children:

Edmund Rice Centre director, Phil Glendenning today called for the international community to take urgent action to support those nations most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

Speaking on his departure from Sydney to attend this month's UN climate change summit in Cancun, Mexico, Mr Glendenning gave voice to the needs of low-lying communities who are already dealing with the impacts of climate change.