Uniting Church urges PM to rethink his asylum seeker stance
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last night met with Indonesion President Yudhoyono to work out how to deal with the 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who are now on board the Australian Customs ship Oceanic Viking. Indonesia has agreed to take the refugees, but says this is only a temporary solution. The federal government has responded to criticism of their dealing with the asylum seekers by saying their position is tough but humane. But the leader of Uniting Church in Australia doesn’t agree. Today Alistair Macrae has written to the Prime Minister and the Opposition to express the Church’s disappointment at their handling of the situation. The Church says the issues surrounding the movement of asylum seekers are being confused with issues of border security.