Melbourne: Fair go for migrants. Stop Dutton’s Citizenship Bill!

21 August, 2017 | Media Releases
Refugee Action Collective (RAC) is assisting an action organised by Fair Go for Migrants against Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s Citizenship Bill, which will be held on August 26, 2pm at Parliament House, Spring Street, East Melbourne. (Photo courtesy: Facebook/ Anton Pulvirenti)

We ask you to join us in opposing the government’s new citizenship bill.

Fair Go for Migrants

Stop Dutton’s Citizenship Bill

– Stop Dutton’s Citizenship Bill

– Lift the freeze on citizenship applications

– Stop restricting rights for permanent residents

– No to racism and a permanent underclass of migrants

– Yes to a multicultural and welcoming Australia

The Coalition government’s plans to restrict citizenship and delay people’s eligibility for three years is throwing the lives of thousands of people into disarray. The proposed Citizenship Bill will prevent many long-term residents of Australia from ever becoming citizens, creating a new underclass of people without proper rights. Minister Dutton wants people to pass a university-level English language test to become citizens. The English test harks back to White Australia and will discriminate against partners of students, workers or citizens who may not have the same language skills, and refugees who may have missed years of education. Obtaining permanent residency and citizenship to Australia is already a very difficult process that takes most people 5 to 10 years, and most migrants have already had to pay for and pass multiple English tests to get their visas.

The government’s rhetoric about the Citizenship Bill and the measures within it make damaging assumptions about current Australian migrants and permanent residents, and perpetuate racist myths about them. The government has frozen over 81,000 citizenship applications while the Bill is being debated because they want it to apply retrospectively. Proposed restrictions on access to universities and pensions for permanent residents are also causing fear and anxiety.

This government is telling migrants they are not welcome. It is using spurious arguments about national security and appealing to racism to try and gain some electoral advantage as its popularity declines.

Help ensure that Dutton’s citizenship bill is defeated – Labor and the Greens are already opposed. Join the rally to send the government a clear message that scapegoating immigrants will not win them more votes.

 

DATE OF EVENT: Saturday 26 August
TIME: 2-4 pm
LOCATION: Parliament House, Spring Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002

 

Link to the Facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/431862477200394/