Dear friend,

What an incredible moment! Wednesday's High Court decision that shut down the Government's Malaysia Deal has confirmed what we’ve been saying all along: that Malaysia is no safe place to send asylum seekers.

The scariest thing about the Malaysia Deal was that children would have been sent into an environment with huge potential for exploitation. Our Immigration Minister Chris Bowen is the legal guardian for 57 of these children, who remain in limbo on Christmas Island with no family to care for them.

In Australia, people hold humanity and fairness above all else. So for Father's Day this Sunday, send Minister Chris Bowen a special message - that Australians want him to do the right thing by these vulnerable children, and all asylum seekers.

Your card will wish Minister Bowen a happy Father's Day, and ask him to end the limbo for all 335 asylum seekers on Christmas Island - including 57 unaccompanied children - currently awaiting their fate.

It will send him the message that Australians do not support third country offshore processing. And it will remind the Minister that we cannot offload our responsibility to protect these most vulnerable of people.

Send your Father's Day card to Minister Bowen, and encourage him to prioritise the wellbeing of children who are counting on him to protect them

Wednesday's High Court ruling is a positive step for Australia - a moment of hope for the humane treatment of people who come here seeking protection from violence and persecution. We have called on the Government to rethink its refugee policy, and hope that it seizes this special moment to create a fairer and more humane Australia.

Thank you to everyone who has signed petitions, sent emails, called MPs and spoken out in support of refugees and asylum seekers.

And thank you for spreading hope and humanity this Father’s Day.

Dr Graham Thom
Refugee Coordinator
Amnesty International Australia