Thousands of Rohingyans, fleeing persecution in Myanmar, remain stranded at sea.  Some have been there for months. They are likely to be without food and water.  Time is running out for them.

The Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia – even Gambia – have said they will give them sanctuary, but little effort has been made to find them and bring them to safety.

Tony Abbott’s response to whether Australia would offer any help was a resounding: “Nope, nope, nope.”

He says it’s not our problem.

But the reality is that his Government’s isolationist, unilateral approach to refugees and asylum seekers in our region is a moral and policy failure – it doesn’t resolve the issue and dumps responsibility on our neighbours.

Navy warships patrol out borders, towing people back to where they came from, regardless of the danger it poses to those on board.   So far this year, 18 boats have been turned back.

But as we build virtual walls around our country and turn our backs on those in need, our neighbours are working on answers to this urgent humanitarian crisis.

No matter how far we bury our head in the sand, this issue is not going away.

Up to one million Rohingya are suffering ethnic persecution and harm in Myanmar and Bangladesh.  They are denied citizenship, treated as non-people.

Rendered stateless, their only chance for safety is to put their lives in the hands of unscrupulous people smugglers.  Some have ended up in shallow jungle graves as a result.  The rest are packed cruelly into rickety boats and shoved out to sea.

Tomorrow, Governments from the region will come together at a summit in Bangkok to find real solutions to this humanitarian crisis.

Australia is sending a public servant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Neither the Prime Minister nor Foreign Affairs Minister is bothering to attend.

Rather than show contempt to our neighbours who are seeking to find real solutions to the real humanitarian crisis in our region, Australia should come to the table in good faith, ready to help.

Let’s call on the Government to offer the following at tomorrow’s summit:

• Help with search and rescue operations so the thousands of people stranded at sea are found and brought to safety as a matter of urgency
• Commit to developing a workable regional protection and resettlement system, giving safe passage to those in our region who need help
• Allow an urgent intake of Rohingyan refugees to be resettled here – and encourage New Zealand and other countries in the region to do the same.

Let’s tell the Government we want them to get their head out of the sand and be part of the solution when it comes to refugees in our region.

Call Julie Bishop now on (02) 6277 7500 & Tony Abbott on (02) 6277 7700