Fed: Catholic Archbishop calls for more generosity to refugees

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2001
Fed: Catholic Archbishop calls for more generosity to refugees

CANBERRA, Dec 5 AAP - Sydney Catholic Archbishop George Pell today called for Australia's
refugee quota to be increased and said women and children should not be locked up in remote
detention centres.

Dr Pell said it was time Australia did more to help ease the worldwide flow of asylum
seekers and should increase its annual intake beyond the existing cap of 12,000 refugees.

"I think we should be more generous," he told ABC radio.

"I'm delighted that we're talking with Indonesia, because this has got to be cooperative,
but of course the problems we have with the refugees here are much less than for example
they have in Europe or the United States."

He said Australia's attitude to asylum seekers had been a problem for a long time,
not just in the last few months, and said leaders should try to educate the public.

"We've got to recognise where public opinion is in Australia but also we've got to
urge people to be more generous."

Dr Pell said Australia should also review its mandatory detention policy, which has
been criticised after claims of poor conditions, hunger strikes and riots.

"I'm not really in favour at all of locking up women and children in these incarceration
centres," he said.

AAP kmh/was

KEYWORD: BOAT PELL

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