A Christmas messageto Kevin Rudd from the Australian public - 24 December 2009

On December 24, Prime Minister Kevin Ruddreceived a Christmas message calling for fair and humane asylum seeker policies from almost fifteen hundred members of the Australian public. The open letter has also been endorsed by twenty-four organisations including A Just Australia, Amnesty International Australia, the Refugee Council of Australia, Labor for Refugees and Act for Peace (National Council of Churches of Australia).

The letter calls for asylum seeker policies that reflect internationally-agreed human rights standards, as well as the value that Australians place on treating people with fairness, integrity, humanity, decency and compassion.

Its a poignant time to be thinking of humanity for asylum seekers, including those detained on Christmas Island. It's also animportant time to send a message to Mr Rudd, given the tenor of public and political debate on asylum seekers in recent months.

Click here to readthe openletter to Kevin Rudd.

High Priority Issues for 2009

In 2008, AJA and the Refugee Council developed a list of high priority policy issues to tackle as a matter of urgency. We've seen enourmous progress on all those issues.

For 2009, we have come up with a new set of priorities: detention reform, visa processing improvements, protection of children, community-based asylum seeker programs, repealling excision and closing Christmas Island, halting of detention debts, improvements to commuity consultation and increase checks and balances for removal or failed asylum seekers.

You can read about the 2008 reform progress here, and find the 2009 high priorities policy list here.

Campaign againstmedia use of 'illegals'

The media sometimes use the term 'illegals' when referring to asylum seekers. Under Australian law, it it not illegal to enter without a visa for the purpose of seeking asylum. The correct term is unlawful non-citizen. Unlawful simply means no particular lawful status, either legal or illegal.

Whenever we are made aware of the use of the term illegal, AJA makes a complaint using the Australian Press Council ruling on a previous complaintas well as their guidelines on the use of this term. If you are aware of any such use - in print, online, tv or radio - please let us know and we will make a formal complaint. Or if you like you can also make your own complaint using this form letter.

Unfortunately, even politicians sometimes use this term. The last Immigration Minister under the Coalition Government, Kevin Andrews, was a repeat offender. Please let us know if you hear a pollie using this term, or you can send a letter of complaint to them (and CC their media adviser). Get their contact details via the APH website.

Click the links to seeresults of our successful complaints against the West Australian Newspaper and ABC online (who would have thought) and recent complaints to the Sun Herald and ABC TV news

In June 2008 we had to make another complaint to the West Australian, who sent a positive response.

On 25 and 26 June 2008 theCourier Mail published articles containing blatantly false and misleading statements about government plans to give asylum seekers and 'illegal migrants' the dole. Read the facts and letters by advocates and the Courier Mail's editor.

A Just Australia has developed a 10 point plan to fix aslyum seeker policy. You can read theplan on our policy page or get more background information on the issues on the overview page.

With the new Rudd Labor government, AJA will continue to advocate for a better system that is fairer, faster and more humane.

But we need your help! You can:

• get our free newsletter which will give you ideas for action
• Become a member or donor
• See our tools for action page, which includes letter templates to contact the Prime Minister, Immigration Minister or your local MP to asking them to promote and support AJAs policy proposals.