In response to the news that Australia has new a Prime Minister, with Scott Morrison this afternoon taking over the leadership role from Malcolm Turnbull, Claire Mallinson, National Director of Amnesty International Australia said:
“Australians expect to see our government deliver equality and justice for all. The revolving door of leadership has once again seen the rights of everyday people pushed aside for political gain but our new Prime Minister must now commit to upholding the human rights of everyone, without discrimination.”
“Politicians are busy holding leadership ballots while at the same time their policies have seen a 12-year-old girl, warehoused in Nauru, attempting to set herself on fire and Australian military exports continue to be transferred to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition committing war crimes in Yemen.
“In his newly elevated position as Prime Minister, Morrison has new responsibilities and he must now ensure that he, and those in his Ministry, put human rights first, both in their words and in their actions. Only then can the Morrison Government have a chance at being successful here at home and abroad.”
In particular Amnesty International is calling on the new Prime Minister and Cabinet to:
- Respect the human rights of all Australians, ensuring everyone is treated with respect and enjoys equality and justice
- End the overrepresentation of Indigenous kids in detention and raise the age at which we lock up children from 10 years to 14 years
- Bring an end to the cruel and inhumane policy of offshore detention and immediately bring those warehoused in offshore detention to safety in Australia
- Expand and improve the refugee Community Sponsorship Program so that more families have the opportunity to resettle and rebuild their lives in safety in Australia
- Cut Australia’s defence training support to the Myanmar military, and pursue accountability for crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court
- Ensure Australia continues our leadership role on the Human Rights Council, especially on human rights abuses in our region and a global moratorium on the death penalty
