This page is named in the "menu buttons" as a page, called 'a few good men'. That's an error. The menu button is too small to say 'a few good women and men' .... We intend no sexism about the group of key people, who have maintained their voice in the face of the most appalling vilification of asylum seekers in Australia.
Below is a selection of those who have a voice, independent opinion and a view on what could and should be entirely different in Australia.
This page was updated during the first half of 2008. Some links and office information about parliamentarians mentioned on this page have been removed, and other information and links to other pages on our website have been added.
UPDATE 2009: Senator Andrew Bartlett's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. He is no longer a Senator in the Federal Government.
24 November 2003: The Melville Island incident: Australia's New Low - UNHCR regional representative Michel Gaubadan called it "a new low" for Australian refugee treatment. Fourteen Kurdish asylum seekers sought refuge in Australia. In an extraordinary move the Howard government retrospectively excised thousands of islands, including Melville Island - but Senator Andrew Bartlett intervenes.
26 November 2003: Andrew Bartlett's October 2003 SIEV X Senate Motion - Speech in the Senate accompanying the Motion of Condolance for the victims of SIEVX. "...that the Senate ... calls on the Commonwealth Government to immediately establish a comprehensive, independent judicial inquiry into all aspects of the People Smuggling Disruption Program..."
Australian Democrats: Immigration Policy
Summary of the Democrats approach to refugees 1977-2002
Today, Mr Howard and Mr Beazley's parties are working in the Senate to ram through 7 bills cutting not only the rights of asylum seekers but of those Australians who want to help them. The bills overrule access to the courts, bring in mandatory sentencing for the first time in federal law and, retrospectively, cover any illegal act Mr Ruddock or his officers may have committed during the Tampa fiasco, these are more steps towards the Australia of Pauline Hanson. That Mr Howard has moved her way may not surprise some. That Mr Beazley has gone with him is astonishing.
The Greens: a Rock of Security in the Senate - National Press Club Address by Greens Senator Bob Brown (26 September 2001).
Kerry Nettle is The Greens' Senator for New South Wales. Kerry "has been instrumental in developing The Greens response to the Howard government's anti-terrorism, 'security', and War-related legislation."
UPDATE 2009: Senator Kerry Nettle's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. She is no longer a Senator in the Federal Government.
UPDATE 2009: Michael Organ's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. He is no longer a Member of Parliament in the Federal Government.
Craig Emerson is the Federal Member for Rankin, QLD - situated between Brisbane and the Gold Coast - having won the seat at the 1998 election. He is Labor's Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations."
| Electorate Office: | Parliament House Office: |
| Logan Central Plaza Wembley Road, Logan Plaza Phone (07) 3299 5910 Fax (07) 3208 8744 Postal Address: PO BOX 349 Woodridge QLD 4114 |
House of Representatives R1113 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Phone (02) 6277 4659 Fax (02) 6277 8418 |
| Email: | Craig.Emerson.mp@aph.gov.au |
| Website: | http://www.craigemersonmp.com/ |
The Hon. John Faulkner is a Senator for New South Wales and the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.
UPDATE 2009: John Faulkner's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. He is no longer a Senator in the Federal Government.
Dr Carmen Lawrence is the Member for Fremantle, a former premier of Western Australia and currently holds the Presidency of the Australian Labor Party. Last year she quit the ALP's front bench over her dismay with the Labor asylum seeker policies.
UPDATE 2009: Dr Carmen Lawrence's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. She is no longer a Member of Parliament in the Federal Government.
16 November 2003: The President of the ALP - Carmen Lawrence has just made history in the Labor Party - she's become the first female national president of the ALP and the first person to be elected to that post by the party members. Dr Lawrence talks with Laurie Oakes.
1 August 2003: The plight of the Mandaeans: A new Iran contra deal - "The Government wants to test the resistance of Australians to this indecency. I hope they are unpleasantly surprised and that Australians will draw the line at forcing people back to situations where their very lives are at risk." In this piece, which appeared first in Margo Kingston's Web Diary, Carmen Lawrence discusses the Mandaean issue.
14 January 2004: Carmen Lawrence: Ideas to save our withering democracy - a manifesto to protect and enhance our democracy: Despite the otherwise general equality in voting power, many are suspicious that not all citizens are equally able to influence their representatives; the health of our democracy requires greater involvement and participation from party members and the community at large.
5 December 2002: Carmen's cry from the heart - Everyone knew it at the time, when Dr Carmen Lawrence, ALP member for Fremantle, resigned from the ALP front bench: it was over her dismay with ALP policies on asylum seekers and refugees. This is the text of the December 5 2002 press conference called to announce her resignation from the Labor frontbench.
4 August 2003: Dr Carmen Lawrence, Fear and Denial in Public Policy - "Fear always serves the real elites - as opposed to those concocted by the conservative commentators; the privileged who throughout history have claimed to be uniquely positioned to identify the "dangers" from which they must protect us - witches, Jews, blacks, Muslims, communists, terrorists, illegals. Fear sells and it gets people elected."
1 August 2003: Carmen and the Issues that matter - WA Member of Parliament Dr Carmen Lawrence quit the Labor front bench in December 2002 'in disgust' with the ALP's asylum seeker policy. In a speech delivered to the ACT Labor Club she speaks out, voicing her concerns about the Iraq war, refugees and Labor's response to the Howard government.
24 February 2003: Fatima Erfani: why did she die because of medical neglect? - This is a page dedicated to Fatima Erfani, a 28-year old mother of three, who died as a result of what we see as medical neglect, compounded by extreme stress, and isolation on Christmas Island as a result of the abhorrent Australian asylum seeker policies under Australia's Prime Minister John Howard.
Tanya Plibersek is the ALP member for the Federal seat of Sydney. She is a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration.
| Electorate Office: | Parliament House Office: |
| 422 Crown Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Ph: (02) 9357 6366 Fax: (02) 9357 6466 |
House of Representatives Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Ph: (02) 6277 4519 Fax: (02) 6277 8513 |
| Email: | Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au |
| Website: | http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=83M |
Lindsay Tanner is Shadow Minister for Communications and the Labor Member for Melbourne.
UPDATE 2009: Lindsay Tanner's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. He is no longer a Senator in the Federal Government.
Senator Jacinta Collins is an ALP Senator for Victoria and the Federal Shadow Minister for Children and Youth
| Electorate Office: | Parliament House Office: |
| Unit 6, 410 Burwood Highway Wantirna South VIC 3152 Phone: (03) 9800 2055 Fax: (03) 9800 2421 |
Senate Wing Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6277 5880 Fax: (02) 6277 5886 |
| Email: | senator.jacinta.collins@aph.gov.au |
| Website: | http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/senators/homepages/senators.asp?id=GB6 |
UPDATE 2009: Senator Sue Mackay's parliamentary contacts have been deleted. She is no longer a Senator in the Federal Government.
