Australia’s highly contentious off-shore refugee processing regime has come under heavy attack this week.
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That was with the High Court’s decision to back the legality of what the government, and its predecessor, has been doing in places such as Nauru.
That decision, which attracted widespread criticism, means 267 asylum-seekers will face deportation to Nauru.
What has especially emboldened many across the nation has been the plight of 37 babies among the group.
And with that has also come fresh criticism of Australia from overseas about the apparent harsh intransigence of what the government is doing.
It is within that heated environment that churches across Australia have signalled their willingness and intent to help these asylum-seekers.
Ten Anglican churches and cathedrals have taken the step to offer protection to those 267 people, in a movement led by the Anglican Dean of Brisbane, Dr Peter Catt.
Dr Catt has taken the brave decision to commit his church to offer sanctuary to the asylum-seekers and to make sure the authorities are kept away.
It is a campaign that has now been backed by Albury priest Father Peter MacLeod-Miller, who compared the asylum-seekers’ plight to that of Jews pursued by Nazi Germany.
What churches such as St Matthews and those across the nation are doing is no great radical step when the unflinching rhetoric of government is pushed aside and a modicum of compassion is brought into the debate.
As Father MacLeod-Miller says, “it means if a refugee or if people were going to be removed by the government, they could be hidden in churches and we would secure their welfare”.
Regardless though, it is still a brave move given the possibility of clergy facing jail time for obstruction.
The government should not be surprised given the clearly mounting debate about the perceived inhumanity of its approach.
And this shows no sign of abating, especially given the Australian Human Rights Commission’s belief that sending the children to Nauru could actually breach international laws.
The government needs to show it is listening and must show greater transparency, rather than dismissing genuine concern about Nauru as simply part of a scare campaign.