In worship on Sunday September 28th, marked in the Uniting Church as ‘Social Justice Sunday’, people of the Blackwood community participated in a letter-writing campaign to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in regard to children being held in detention. The Office has now received a three-page response from the Acting Assistant Secretary, Community Programs Branch of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection on behalf of the Minister for Immigration. Doubtless many of you who signed letters have received personal responses as well.

The letter details the policy change of re-instating Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) for Illegal Migrant Arrivals (IMAs) to permit their release, under certain conditions, into the community awaiting processing of their refugee claims. This is hoped to ‘significantly speed up the release of children from detention’.

A copy of the letter on behalf of the Minister and an associated Press release from the Minister are available for interested members to read in the Office.