The Morrison Liberal National Government have failed when it comes to the management of detainees. 

Numerous Kangaroo Point residents have contacted me regarding the protests that are occurring outside the Morrison Government’s Alternative Place of Detention (APOD) facility in Kangaroo Point.   

I am deeply concerned about this makeshift detention facility at Kangaroo Point.   

I have been raising concerns about, and scrutinising, the facility for many months. I was not consulted before it was established. When I became aware of the facility, I insisted on visiting it, to make clear to the government that it would be subjected to scrutiny.  

Since then of course, Australia and the world have been subject to a global pandemic and health and welfare concerns have escalated for people held in close quarters.  

Our community deserves to know exactly what the Morrison Government’s plan is to protect the safety and health of everyone involved.  The Morrison Government should be considering community detention and most importantly, urgently finding permanent, safe settlement options for people who have been left in limbo for far too long.  

After significant lobbying, on 26 June 2020, I secured a meeting with Minister Alan Tudge where I advocated for the people who are being housed in the Morrison Government’s Kangaroo Point detention facility.  

I am aware of plans of a sit-in protest at Kangaroo Point. 

I support the right to freedom of assembly, and the right to protest. As with other rights, I encourage everyone to be considerate and responsible in deciding whether to exercise these rights. We are in the worst pandemic in a century. This circumstance makes holding a sit-in on the Story Bridge particularly problematic. There are safer, more community-minded and equally impactful ways to protest, and I encourage everyone to use them.  

The safety of detainees and local residents is of utmost importance.   

I encourage those who are passionate about this issue, to pick up the phone and contact the responsible Minister, Alan Tudge, and demand that action be taken now.