Refugee rights activists held a protest outside Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ electoral office on July 19. The action marked the tenth anniversary of former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's announcement that refugees arriving by boat would not be allowed to settle in Australia.
Similar actions were held in other cities ahead of a national weekend of action planned for July 22–23.
Activists delivered a letter to Chalmers saying: “We need more than small, pragmatic policy shifts as many are still being left behind.”
The letter called for a “complete break with toxic, punitive anti-refugee policies” and expressed concern about the maintenance of empty detention facilities on Nauru and continuing boat tow-back policies.
Members of the Refugee Action Collective, which organised the protest, issued an invitation to Chalmers to meet them.