NEWS DESK
Amnesty International: Labor backflip on turnbacks ‘dangerous’ Neil Walker neil@mpnews.com.au A LABOR Party vote to support asylum seeker boat turnbacks if it wins back government has been slammed by Amnesty International. Amnesty International peninsula branch spokesman Kevin Bain criticised Labor and opposition leader Bill Shorten’s move at the party’s annual national conference last month to fall into line with the Abbott government’s boats turnback policy. Mr Bain has presented several petitions in recent months to Liberal federal government ministers Bruce Billson and Greg Hunt in Dunkley and Flinders respectively protesting against the Abbott government’s “inhumane treatment� of asylum seekers. “Boat turnbacks are a recipe to violate rights and endanger lives,� Mr Bain said. “People are entitled to have a proper asylum review process and the question is ‘turn back to where?’. “We have a responsibility to protect and not punish people for seeking asylum. To promote turnbacks is one of the biggest ethical distortions in our society.� Federal Labor MP for Isaacs Mark Dreyfus said the opposition “cannot
ignore the thousands of people who have died at sea trying to seek asylum�. “Provided it can be done so safely, a future Labor government reserves the option to turn back boats at sea to discourage people smugglers from risking the lives of asylum seekers at sea, in compliance with the Refugee Convention.� Mr Dreyfus, a non-voting delegate at the weekend Labor conference, said a Labor government “would remove the Abbott government’s cruel and ineffective temporary protection visas and its militarisation of the transfer of asylum seekers�. “Labor will not demonise asylum seekers with the inflammatory and ignorant language of the Abbott government. Instead Labor will bring transparency to the process of seeking asylum.� Mr Dreyfus said Labor will double Australia’s annual refugee intake to 27,000 by 2025. Mr Bain said the major political parties are “compromising some of our fundamental human values� and this will damage Australian society in the long term. “If all countries did this [turnbacks] the United Nations Refugee Convention would collapse and the implications for that are not positive for Australia or the whole world.�
Expert in art
Devilbend run a family affair RUNNERS from across the peninsula are in training for the Devilbend Fun Run, Sunday 9 August – such as the Haugen family, of Moorooduc, pictured. They have been making the run an annual event for the past four years. Peder, Linley and their three children take every opportunity to train in the Devil Bend Natural Features Reserve area, near where they live. A continuing aim of the Mornington Peninsula Athletic Club, which organises the run, is to build community involvement, family participation and encouragement of all runners – not just those at the front of the field. “The Devil Bend Run is now in its 41st year, and once again we are supporting local groups, such as the Balnarring Lions Club and Frankston Men’s Shed,� race organiser Richard Does said. “Local businesses and volunteers are on board, and returning runners and families, like the Haugens, con-
tinue to make our run a popular local event every year.� Last year 500 local runners participated. Each Sunday morning the Haugens take a break from their schedule of work, school and team sports to devote time to run together – And enjoy a family breakfast afterwards. Their advice to first timers or families considering running, is: “Enjoy every moment. We love the family atmosphere and enjoy running together in the various events.� Medallions are presented to all finishers, as well as medals/prizes for category placegetters. The Under 10s enjoy sack races. There will be a new Teams’ category this year. Festivities and warm-ups start 8.30am, with the runs kicking off from 9am. To enter visit devilbend.com or call Richard Does 0414 341 387.
ART historian and author Dr Sophie Oosterwijk will speak about artists in the 14th century at this month’s meeting of the Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society in Mornington. Dr Oosterwijk’s talk, “Reflection and Illusion�, will concentrate on the works of Jan van Eyck and his contemporaries. Art historian and medievalist; internationally recognised expert on the Danse Macabre, death and commemoration, tomb monuments, iconography, and the history of childhood, Dr Oosterwijk is a lecturer and researcher who has taught at universities of St Andrews, Leicester, Manchester and Nottingham, Sotheby's Institute of Art, and other organisations. The society will meet at 5.30pm, Friday 7 August at Peninsula Community Theatre, Wilson Rd, Mornington. Bookings: 9787 2092.
Court hearing TENNIS champ Margaret Court will speak in Mornington on the weekend of 29 and 30 August. She will participate in a Winning in Life event at the Pursuit Church, 7 Bruce St. A women’s only event will be held on the Saturday and Ms Court will be speaking at 10am and 5pm on the Sunday. Ms Court runs Victory College in Western Australia, where she has her own church. Details: 0412 876 440.
Fifty-plus meeting SOUTHERN Peninsula 50+ Club will hold its annual meeting at the new rooms, 121 Ninth Av, Rosebud – the old Rosebud Senior Citizens Building – at 2pm, Tuesday 18 August. Details: Secretary Lyn Straton 5981 1564.
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