A group of church leaders arrested and removed from the office of Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten on Monday are seeking the immediate release of children from immigration detention.
The leaders were among two groups of Christians staging simultaneous sit-in prayer vigils at the Mr Shorten’s Moonee Ponds office and the Sydney office of Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
The sit-ins follow recent protests in the offices of Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Uniting Church Reverend Alistair Macrae, who took part in the sit-in at Mr Shorten’s office, said the unprecedented acts of civil disobedience were in response to “Australia’s cruel treatment of asylum seekers”.
He called on the two major parties to end bipartisan support for offshore detention, with 1023 children currently locked up.
“Through our peaceful direct action we seek to challenge the government’s cruel approach to the treatment of asylum seekers, and to encourage other Australians to embrace a more welcoming response to those who seek asylum here,” he said.
Sit-in participants included Catholic and Anglican priests, a nun, Baptist pastors, Uniting Church ministers and lay church leaders.
Protesters gathered outside both vigils in support of the church leaders, who have secured a meeting later this week with Labor’s immigration spokesman Richard Marles.
The sit-in comes as Labor MP Melissa Parke plans to move a motion at the May 27 caucus meeting that Labor “shall no longer support the transfer of asylum seekers by Australia to Manus Island or Nauru and shall call for the detention centres in those places to be closed down forthwith”.
The motion will be seconded by the former speaker Anna Burke and refer to the lack of progress in investigating the killing of Iranian asylum seeker Reza Barati.
Bill Shorten’s office would not comment on the sit-in but Mr Shorten reaffirmed support for offshore detention.
“The Regional Resettlement Arrangement implemented by Labor remains the most effective policy in stopping people from putting their lives at risk by making the dangerous journey to Australia by sea,” he said.
“In terms of processing, Labor believes asylum seekers must be treated in a humane and dignified manner, while being accommodated in a safe environment.”
Gellibrand MP Tim Watts said he welcomed public debate around the more humane treatment of asylum seekers but would not support the motion.
“Under the previous Labor government every effort was made to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in immigration detention,” he said.
“The previous Labor government always endeavoured to move all women and children to community detention where possible.”
Williamstown Uniting Church minister Avril Hannah-Jones said she joined the protest because the church had a responsibility to speak out about the issue.
“We are prepared to be arrested because we are very committed to children being released from detention.”
She said police removed the protesters around 7pm and had not ruled out the possibility of charges being laid.
