Senators vote to change the law

Asylum seekers coming to Australia are generally forced to stay in Detention Centres while they await visas and clearing.  The length of stay in these centres varies, and has been the topic of some scrutiny in the past, particularly under the Howard Government.  Once they were released from these Detention Centres, they could be forgiven for thinking that they were now free Australians. However, an Australian law resulted in asylum seekers actually being hit with a bill for their ‘accomodation’ in detention! The amounts of their bill could vary from $40,000 to $250,000.  Obviously, asylum seekers are in no position to be paying anything like that after they have fled their home countries with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  This law was discrimatory and shameful.  Yesterday, Australian Senators listened to the voices of campaigners like GetUp.org.au and other advocates, and voted Yes on a Bill to scrap that law.  There were even cases of conservative Senators crossing the floor to stand up for human rights.  Read more about those senators here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/08/2679939.htm

This is an amazing achievement, and opens the door for more changes in the rights of asylum seekers.  For more information on the whole campaign to scrap Detention Debt, go to http://www.getup.org.au