RISE eX-detainees’ Media Statement 16/05/2022 : Australia has provided the world with a blueprint for contemporary modes of border imperialism. Both the Australian Labor party and Liberal/Nationals in agreement that ex-prisoners in detention should pay for the million dollar cost of their time in immigration detention as part of their white supremacist blueprint package.
RISE eX-detainees refuse to be fooled by Australian politicians Scott Morrison and Kristina Kennealy’s election campaign smokescreen of saying ex-prisoners in detention should pay for the million dollar cost of their detention. Not only is this announcement a smoke screen for the fact that they are already violating the rights of mostly People of Colour (PoC) ex-prisoners including Refugees caught in the net of the white supremacist, elitist, capitalist criminal “justice” system in Australia by indefinitely and administratively re-detaining them outside the court system – it is also a smoke screen for the billions of dollars of blood money spent on torturing and killing PoC Refugees trying to seek asylum by boats through Australia’s illegal white supremacist mandatory detention system and “border security” system. It is also a smokescreen for the number of corporations, NGOs, individuals etc who profit from the Australian government’s racist refugee detention torture scheme.
It is nothing new to many of us – with many refugee eX-detainees and detainees being asked to pay debt to the commonwealth government while in detention after being unsuccessful in their application for refugee status, to pay the court fees or flight charges to be self deported back to the country they are seeking asylum from or pay for short term crisis motel accommodation they are placed in when released from immigration detention into the community. These barbaric racist practices have been existing in detention centres for more than two decades.
Will Kristina Kennealy or Albanese let alone, Scott Morrison’s party make an announcement that they will shut down the billion dollar Nauru/Manus Refugee torture scheme and bring all Refugees onshore and grant them permanent protection in Australia not elsewhere? Of course not – because it is the Australian Labor party that started this cruel, racist scheme and handed it over to be nurtured and developed further by the Liberal/National coalition government. Both the Australian Labor party and the Liberal/National coalition continue to religiously feed and nurture Australia’s murderous refugee detention system at all costs.
“Congratulations” Scott Morrison and the Liberal/National Coalition – as predicted you are race baiting and dog whistling to try and win the election at all costs and Congratulations Kristina Kenneally and all other politicians in the Australian Labor Party for having no conviction in your policies on Climate Change, Social Security, Education, Employment and Health and jumping in the snake pit with Scott Morrison to divert attention from what is actually impacting your constituents on a daily basis. Also an Honorary mention to the Greens for supporting 7- day mandatory detention torture of our people. And lastly congratulations to the racist Australian public for electing these politicians and allowing them to work hand in hand in creating a final solution for PoC Refugees and preventing us from seeking protection from persecution – even when your government itself helped destroy our homes, towns and cities – while you go through floods, bushfires, inflation, wage disparity and a crumbling Housing and Health care system.
‘Nothing About Us Without Us’
RISE eX-detainees