An Open Letter to the Australian Public from the Undersigned Staff of the University of Sydney

An open letter to the Australian public from the undersigned staff of the University of Sydney. We write this letter motivated by a sense of grave concern over circumstances at Nauru, Manus Island and other Australian mandatory detention centres for refugees. As members of an academic institution that is situated at the forefront of Australian social and cultural life, we feel it is our duty to express this concern, hoping that—together with similar efforts by others—it will serve as a catalyst for positive action and change. Allegations of torture and more generally mistreatment of refugees by Department of Immigration and Border Protection employees and contractors have been and continue to be made public over the last several years. Initially, perhaps, such allegations were dismissed by Australian citizens, in disbelief that such repugnant acts could be committed by a society that perceives itself to be just and humane. The mounting evidence, however, of torture and abuse—including testimonies given by refugees themselves, as well as evidence submitted by former employees and contractors who worked in detention centres—is overwhelming. We find it abhorrent that the Australian Government has passed a law, the Australian Border Force Act 2015 that came into effect on July 1st, threatening its citizens with prosecution and up to two years imprisonment for publicly disclosing details relating to these conditions. The context that the Act deals with—circumstances in immigration detention centres—has nothing whatsoever to do with national security. We are deeply distressed at the erosion of our society’s democratic ethos and of its core freedoms that such legislation represents. The Government acts in our name and on our behalf; it must remain accountable for the treatment of both its citizens and of all others who come to our shores. The current situation, of which the above account describes only a small part, stands in contradiction to any reasonable conception of “Australian values”. This letter represents an expression of deep concern, as well as a call to action—to each person as he or she is able and sees fit—to demand of members of the Australian Parliament decisive intervention on this matter. The issue of Australia’s treatment of refugees constitutes a crucial test of the moral mettle of our society and of the Australian spirit in general. Signatories (in alphabetical order of surname): Mr Leo Adler, Team Leader Education Programs, Centre for Veterinary Education Mr Jeremy Aitken, Educational Designer, Sydney Nursing School Dr Neeloy Alam, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Sydney School of Public Health Dr Avril Alba, Lecturer, Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies Professor Robert Aldrich, Department of History Mr Steven Allen, Senior Technical Support of Cytometry, Sydney Medical School Adjunct Associate Professor Philip Alpers, Sydney School of Public Health Dr Luis Fernando Angosto‐Ferrández, Lecturer, Department of Anthropology Emeritus Professor Bruce Armstrong, Chairman, The Sax Institute Dr Isabel Arnaiz, Discipline of Physiology Dr K.R. Aubrey Senior Research Fellow, Northern Clinical School Mr Tim Bakas, Tutor, Faculty of Pharmacy Emeritus Professor AB Baker AM, University of Sydney Dr Lilon Bandler, Associate Dean (Indigenous), Sydney Medical School Ms Rana Baraz, Senior Research Assistant, Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research Dr Ruth Barcan, Department of Gender and Cultural Studies Professor Lesley Barclay AO, Director, University Centre for Rural Health Ms Veronica Barlow, Research Librarian, Social Work Student Coordinator, Sydney Medical School Professor Alexandra Barratt, Professor of Public Health, Sydney School of Public Health Associate Professor Vanessa Barrs, Faculty of Veterinary Science Ms Sonia Bartoluzzi, Sydney Medical School Dr Michael Beggs, Lecturer, Department of Political Economy Dr Katy Bell, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Sydney School of Public Health Adjunct Professor Bill Bellew, Principal Research Fellow, Executive Officer, Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health Dr Aric Bendorf, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine Associate Professor James Bennett‐Levy, Associate Professor in Mental Health, University Centre for Rural Health Ms Juliet Bennett, PhD Candidate and Sessional Lecturer, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Dr Katherine Benson, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Sydney Medical School Ms Judith Beveridge, Lecturer, Department of English Associate Professor Laurent Billot, Principal Research Fellow, Sydney Medical School Dr Hudson Birden, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine Dr Kerrin Bleicher, Honorary Associate, Concord Clinical School of Medicine Dr Emily Blyth, NHMRC Postdoctoral Fellow and Senior Lecturer, Sydney Medical School Adjunct Associate Professor Jonathan Bogais, Department of Sociology and Social Policy Dr Carissa Bonner, Senior Research Officer, Sydney School of Public Health Professor Robert Booy, Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, Sydney Medical School Ms Ines Borovic, Marketing and Sales Manager, Centre for Veterinary Education Dr Laura Bradfield, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Brain and Mind Centre Dr Melissa Bradley, Clinical Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine Dr David Bray, Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology and Social Policy Associate Professor Meagan Brennan, Sydney Medical School Ms Christine Brickenstein, Postgraduate Coordinator (Education), Save Sight Institute Ms Tiffany Brittain, Events Coordinator, Centre for Veterinary Education Dr Philip Britton, Dean’s Fellow and Lecturer, Sydney Medical School Ms Ellen Brodie, Administration Assistant, Save Sight Institute Dr David Brophy, Lecturer, Department of History Dr Patrick Brownlee, Faculty of Education and Social Work Ms Rachel Brownlow, Tutor, School of Psychology Professor Brad Buckley, Professor of Contemporary Art and Culture, Sydney College of the Arts Mr Luke Buizen, Biostatistician, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre Dr Marita Bullock, Lecturer, Department of English Dr Cathie Burgess, Lecturer in Education, Faculty of Education and Social Work Associate Professor Jennifer Byrne, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health Dr Alice Caffarel‐Cayron, Senior Lecturer, Department of French Studies Dr Damien Cahill, Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Economy Ms Annette Cairnduff, Director, Social Inclusion Associate Professor Patrina Caldwell, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health Dr Rachel Campbell, Associate Lecturer, Sydney Conservatorium of Music Dr Emma Carberry, Senior Lecturer, School of Mathematics and Statistics Ms Lesley Carnus, Co‐ordinator, Refugee Language Program, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies Honorary Professor Peter Carroll, Sydney Medical School Associate Professor Stacy Carter, Deputy Director, Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine Associate Professor Dee Carter, School of Molecular Bioscience Professor Judy Cashmore AO, Professor of Socio‐legal Research and Policy, Sydney Law School Professor Stephen Castles, Research Chair in Sociology, School of Social and Political Sciences Dr Belal Chami, Postdoctoral Scientist, Discipline of Pathology Professor Simon Chapman AO, Sydney School of Public Health Ms Jacqueline Charlesworth, Communications Coordinator, School of Physics Dr Rose Chesworth, Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Psychology Visiting Professor Jocelyn Chey, School of Languages and Cultures Dr Frances M. Clarke, Senior Lecturer, Department of History Professor Rufus Clarke, Honorary Associate, Sydney School of Public Health Ms Elisabeth Coates, NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre Dr Clare Coleman, Senior Research Fellow, Sydney Centre for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Statistics Associate Professor John Collins, Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health Dr Susan Colmar, Program Director School Counselling, Faculty of Education and Social Work Ms Jaime Comber, Assessment Officer, Faculty of Medicine Professor Kate Conigrave, Senior Stafff Specialist, Sydney Medical School Emerita Professor Raewyn Connell, Professor Linda Connor, Chair, Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Melinda Cooper, Department of Sociology and Social Policy Dr Philip Coote, Clinical Senior Lecturer, Sydney Medical School Mr Graeme Corbett, Site Services Adviser, University Library Dr Rachael Cordina, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Cardiologist, Sydney Medical School Mr Christen Cornell, PhD Candidate and Tutor, Department of Gender and Cultural Studies Dr Christine Cowie, Conjoint Senior Research Fellow, Faculty of Medicine Honorary Professor Gillian Cowlishaw, Department of Anthropology Associate Professor Ivan Crozier, ARC Future Fellow, Department of History Professor Robert Cumming, Professor of Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health Honorary Professor Ann Curthoys, Department of History Dr Anne Cust, Senior Research Fellow, Sydney School of Public Health Adjunct Professor Ian Darnton‐Hill AO, University of Sydney Ms Sophia Davidson Gluyas, Student Administration Assistant, The University of Sydney Business School Professor Angus Dawson, Director, Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine Professor Andrew Dawson, Clinical Professor in Addiction Medicine, Central Clinical School Dr Marie Deverell, University of Sydney Dr Haryana Dhillon, Research Fellow, School of Psychology Honorary Professor John Docker, School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry Ms Gina Dolphin, Administrative Officer, Sydney Medical School Mr Evin

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