1.1 Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Australia
In Australia the Refugee and Asylum Seeker social justice issue is a recurring matter that causes the Australian Government to take action. The Refugee issue in Australia divides the nation in half between the Government’s and the Catholic Church’s opinions. This causes a range of interest including professionals, priests, students and more people to write about the Refugee social justice issue. Morrissey is a professional who wrote the quote:
“The Christian Churches… have increasingly seen the importance of involving them in the public debate, of being a voice in an evolving society and an evolving world… the churches have often been the counter-cultural forums in which Australians have felt the freedom to make their cry for justice. This has resulted in the churches being a breeding ground of important movements, such as social reform, …show more content…
When discussing Refugees the Church’s teachings focus on human dignity, solidarity, devolution to humanity and community rights. The scripture Jeremiah chapter 29 verses 4 to 14 (Appendix 5) clearly evaluates these aspects through God being the protector like the Government is supposed to be of refugees. As God is the protector he gives them food, water, clothes, a community and a safe country to live in. At the Australian National Priest Council held on May the 14th 2014 the statement was made: “The hard line policies of the current Australian Government towards Asylum Seekers and Refugees is extinguishing the Christian virtue of hope for many of these people; some of whom have risked their lives for a new and better life after experiencing oppression and extraordinary deprivation both of rights and resources.” This is the Catholic Church’s views on the Refugee and Asylum Seeker social justice problem and how the government is dealing with