Results of Rights Australia petition on mandatory detention

I received the following message from Howard Glenn of Rights Australia. Thanks from me to any who signed the petition via this blog:

"I am writing to you to report on the progress of the petition in support of reforms to the treatment of asylum seekers. You were one of 6089 people who signed our petition about the reforms proposed in draft legislation by Government Backbenchers, led by the Member for Kooyong, Petro Georgiou MP.

You are probably aware that the Prime Minister announced a set of reforms to the treatment of asylum seekers, refugees and detainees last 17 June, and that the draft legislation was withdrawn as a result by Mr Georgiou. The campaign you were part of had a big effect in tipping the balance for these reforms.

As the petition was being signed, we kept both the media and members of Parliament informed of the overwhelming support for the petition. But because the petition called for Senators to support legislation which has since been withdrawn, we have not been able to find a way to present the petition formally to the Senate. The advice we’ve received is that there is no valid way of presenting it in its current form.

Rights Australia continues to monitor the implementation of these reforms, which were to be completed substantially by the end of October this year. If you are not already on our mailing list, and want to be informed of developments on this and other issues, please go to www.rightsaustralia.org.au or click directly on http://rightsaustralia.org.au/subscribe.php.

The Federal Member for Chisholm, Anna Burke MP, is also running a petition on a related issue that you might like to sign at http://petitions.nationalforum.com.au/petitions.asp?id=2. Some detainees who have been released into the community on bridging visas have a new problem – they aren’t allowed to work, can’t receive welfare and are ineligible for Medicare. The petition, which we support, seeks to fix this problem.

Thanks for your continued involvement in the work for human rights in Australia."