Mum and dad march in outrage

The UN is well aware of what is happening. Australia was warned in January by the UN refugee agency that pushing back asylum seeker boats at sea could be breaking international law under the 1951 Refugee Convention. In July last year the same agency warned Australia its decision to send asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea could breach international law and its human rights obligations. So Australia can expect further UN comment. This is particularly sad because at the time of the inauguration of the UN after World War II, Australia was at the forefront of its establishment. Except for The Greens, it seems many politicians, if listening, are not hearing.

Postdoctoral research fellow Michael Jensen, on social movements and political participation, was quoted - in 'The Age' (15/4/14) in an article by Larissa Nicholson - saying that the treatment of asylum seekers is an issue commonly spoken about in Australia and that both major parties were united in presenting strong policies on offshore processing, and insisting refugees had no guarantee of being settled in Australia.

'It may be the case that (protesters) don't see an avenue for their interests being articulated in the major parties, either in the opposition or the government, so perhaps they feel they need to mobilise by other means that do not depend on some formal organisational structure to get their views out there.'

The Brisbane event was the starting rally of similar events around Australian capitals. About 2000 marched in Sydney; with 3000 marchers in Melbourne. Musicians, led by Linsey Pollak, certainly blew up a storm to start things off in Brisbane. The hundreds of Mums and Dads marched in tempo to both the music and the cause – and, significantly, they have all been asked to knock repeatedly on politicians' doors and make their protests heard – noisily.

The Brisbane rally was organised by a diverse group of organisations and individuals including Amnesty International, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, the Refugee Action Collective, Labor for Refugees, The Greens, and representatives of the Hazara and Tamil communities and in co-operation with a Rally for Peace & Nuclear Disarmament. Frederika Steen AM, of Social Justice Junkies, was compere.