— Yesterday, another boat capsized north of Christmas Island. An estimated 150 asylum seekers were onboard; 130 have been rescued and one person has been confirmed dead. Parliament debated late into the night on a bill for offshore processing in Nauru and Malaysia, but that bill will today be defeated in the Senate. A new approach is urgently needed. —

Dear NEVILLE,

Recent tragedies at sea show that we must find policies that are both humane to asylum seekers, and also reduce dangerous boat journeys. The Government and Opposition are both fixated on enacting their own variants of offshore processing, but we can’t stop the boats without addressing why people board them in the first place.

That’s why we need a solution that offers a real alternative to asylum seekers who are considering coming by boat to Australia. Many experts in the refugee and migration sector say the best way to do this is by substantially increasing Australia’s refugee intake, particularly from countries in our region–like Indonesia and Malaysia–where people are most likely to board a boat to our shores.

Today is a crucial moment. All sides of politics are searching for a new approach: for one that can be agreed on, and passed, by this Parliament.

That’s why today, we’re putting your voice on Sky News, the station played on most every TV in Parliament House. We’re airing an ad that will update each hour as more Australians sign this petition so that when decisions are made today, our politicians have no doubt about where our community stands. Please add your name now, and ask friends and family to do the same:

http://www.getup.org.au/anewapproach

How will increasing the refugee intake help reduce the number of people who risk their lives on dangerous voyages to seek asylum here?

Currently, Australia makes available a very small number of humanitarian visas through official channels in our region. In the 10 months to April this year, Australia granted only 97 refugee visas out of Indonesia. A further 1126 were made available through Malaysia, but 95% of those went to Burmese refugees. So for those fleeing other troubled countries, including Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, their chances of receiving refuge are slim. Many are left with little choice but to risk their lives on leaky boats.

The policy alternatives are bleak. Experts, including the Immigration Department, tell us that offshore processing in Nauru is unlikely to work; and conditions for asylum seekers in Malaysia are very concerning. What’s more, neither proposal can break the deadlock in Parliament: the Coalition will not support the “Malaysian solution”, Labor will not support the Coalition’s Nauru proposal without Malaysia, and the Greens are staunchly against both.

That’s why we need to move to a humane solution that can be implemented right away. Increasing our refugee intake, combined with efforts to improve conditions in transit countries in our region, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, can provide refugees with a genuine alternative to a dangerous boat journey.

http://www.getup.org.au/anewapproach

Incrementally doubling Australia’s intake of UNHCR-approved refugees will undermine the business model of people smugglers. Moreover, working with our neighbours to give asylum seekers better human rights protection, freedom from detention, and a sense of security during processing will also help reduce the incentives for asylum seekers to embark on journeys to Australia.

As our politicians search for solutions, can you add your name to the campaign for a new approach?

http://www.getup.org.au/anewapproach

With hope,
the GetUp team.

PS – For more detail on this policy option, see the briefing paper we have just released with The Edmund Rice Centre and others: http://www.getup.org.au/anewapproach

---

GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you’d like to contribute to help fund GetUp’s work, please donate now! If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here. Authorised by Simon Sheikh, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Extinction is not an option! The latest figures from Tasmania report that around 90% of Tasmanian devils are extinct in the wild, and some scientists are predicting that our Australian icon will be extinct within ten years.   But here at Devil Ark, we say that EXTINCTION IS NOT AN OPTION. We are working hard to breed genetically diverse Tasmanian devils in a naturalistic environment that maintain their natural behaviour. Devil Ark enclosures are large (at least two hectares) and naturalistic with multiple dens. Each enclosure houses small groups of devils that socialise as they would in the wild. It is very different to a zoo where small enclosures mean loss of natural behaviour.   Minimising the devils’ exposure to humans (especially handling) maintains their independence and wild traits.   This is important for devils that will eventually be returned to the Tasmanian bush. Our approach is extremely devil-friendly and cost effective too. It costs less than $2,000 a year to raise a devil at Devil Ark; compare this with the $7,000+ that some zoos are saying it costs. Watch our tv advertisement and share it with your family and friends.     Devil Ark update… It’s now more eighteen months since the first Tasmanian devils were released at Devil Ark – and the second breeding season has been bearing fruits at the hideaway in the picturesque Barrington Tops.   Watch the update on one of Australia’s most important conservation projects...   Health checks are revealing a very special find   All devils at Devil Ark receive quarterly health checks, but the winter health check is our favourite! This is the opportunity for our keepers to have a ‘sneak peak’ into the pouches of the female devils to see how many young they have.   They still have about half the females to check, but already the count is up to 20! We are looking forward to another very successful breeding season. Keepers Andrew and Adrian very carefully checking the pouch of a female devil and were delighted to see three joeys half the size of a man’s thumb.   Winter wonderland   Winter has well and truly arrived at Devil Ark, with average day-time temperature reaching 7 degrees and night temperatures now around -2. Barrington Tops was selected as the location of Devil Ark because the high altitude and wet and snowy conditions resemble that of their native homeland.   Since our long term goal is to breed and maintain a healthy population of devils whose descendants will eventually repopulate the Tasmanian eco system; not only do we need devils with wild behaviour, but also animals that can cope with the harsh, cold weather conditions.   Why your donations are critical   It might seem like we keep asking for your help to build free-range enclosures at Devil Ark, and that is because we must!   Without the support of a significant benefactor and therefore the ability to build free range enclosures that will provide capacity for many years, we are currently building on an as-needs basis.   With the dramatic decline of devils in the wild, it is critical to have capacity for disease-free stock from areas decimated by disease. We must act urgently to secure genetically important stock before they are all lost to DFTD.   It costs $72 to build a metre of Devil Ark free range enclosure (we need to build 6500m).   Please help us; your donation will build the future for our disappearing devil.   Raising awareness of the plight of the devil   Please tell your family and friends about the risk we face of losing the Tasmanian devil.   Education is critical to saving the species.       early morning fog at the Ark   Devil Ark Tel 1300 553 565 PO Box 737 Gosford NSW 2250 www.devilark.com.au info@devilark.com.au

This message was sent to nevilleg729@gmail.com from: Australian Reptile Park | Tomalla | Barrington Tops , NSW 2337, Australia

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Shelve new ports to save reef, UN says

Updated: 09:30, Thursday June 21, 2012

More details have been released from the United Nations investigation of the Great Barrier Reef.

A brief summary of the UN monitoring mission’s finding were released earlier this month but the longer document is more scathing of the failures of state and federal authorities to properly protect the World Heritage listed asset.

The report says the Reef could be listed as a World Heritage site in danger unless high-risk coastal developments including new ports are shelved.

It also identifies water quality as among the most significant risks to the reef.

Updated: 09:30, Thursday June 21, 2012

More details have been released from the United Nations investigation of the Great Barrier Reef.

A brief summary of the UN monitoring mission’s finding were released earlier this month but the longer document is more scathing of the failures of state and federal authorities to properly protect the World Heritage listed asset.

The report says the Reef could be listed as a World Heritage site in danger unless high-risk coastal developments including new ports are shelved.

It also identifies water quality as among the most significant risks to the reef.