The Refugee Rights Group of Amnesty International (Tasmania) and Amnesty’s Activism Leadership Committees for the state welcomed federal Senator Nick McKim to their monthly meeting on the evening of Monday 15 November.

Senator McKim, of the Australian Greens, provided a briefing about the circumstances of asylum seekers currently detained both within Australia and offshore (Papua New Guinea and Nauru).

This year marks Amnesty International’s 60th anniversary. The Monday event in Hobart provided a welcome opportunity to meet in person, after a year and a half of Zoom meetings, and to celebrate with cake and refreshments.

The following individuals and groups were recognised with certificates of appreciation for their contributions to Amnesty’s work:

Kim Cockatoo

Peter Jones

Greg Luckman

Roc Ives

Sylvia Merope

Richard Rolls and the Hobart letter-writing group

Bethan Krake

Yabbo Thompson

Amnesty Southern Group

and the Refugee Rights Group.

Asylum seekers in community detention have no path to permanent residency or citizenship, and their visas can be cancelled without notice. Those held offshore have no end date specified. Amnesty International continues to work for an end to these inhumane policies.

Featured image above, left to right: Yabbo Thompson, Alison Pitt for Amnesty Southern Group, Richard Rolls, Greg Luckman, Kim Cockatoo, Peter Jones, Carol Bristow, L. Elaine Miller and Peta Miley for the Refugee Rights Group