The future of Australia's violent offshore detention camps is hanging in the balance. The corporation that runs them – Broadspectrum (formerly Transfield Services) – was supposed to sign a new contract in October to continue running the camps on Manus Island and Nauru for another 5 years. But it's nearly Christmas, and it hasn't happened yet. Why not? Well, when 30,000 of us stood up against corporations profiting from abuse, we hit front pages around the country. Now senior sources have told us Broadspectrum is dragging its feet on signing the Manus and Nauru contract because it's waiting to see how much of a threat our movement really is.
No corporation should profit from abuse. And to drive that message
home, we need to speak the language corporations understand best: dollar
figures. Broadspectrum rakes in millions of dollars by providing services
to local councils. So we've just launched 563 campaigns on GetUp's
petition platform CommunityRun calling on every council in Australia not
to do business with corporations that profit from abuse. One
council at a time, we'll show Broadspectrum that their involvement in
offshore detention will have disastrous consequences for the rest of
their business.
We have a huge opportunity here. Broadspectrum and Wilson Security –
the two corporates that prop up the detention camps – provide services
like parking and maintenance to local councils all over Australia.
Many councillors around the country are worried about being
associated with the cruel abuse Broadspectrum and Wilson Security are
complicit in. Two councils are already reviewing their business
relationships with these corporations. The tide is changing, but to
get this over the line we need to build support in our local
communities, and call on our councils to take strong and immediate
action.
If we can get our local councils to refuse to associate with these
corporations while they continue to profit from abuse, it will force
Broadspectrum and Wilson Security to reconsider their future in the
detention regime.
In the camps on Manus Island and Nauru violence, sexual assault,
self-harm and mental abuse are rife. Men, women and children all suffer.
And while the camps were built because of government policy, it's corporate complicity that keeps them open.
If corporations walk away, it would change the entire foundation on
which our brutal offshore detention regime is built and open the door to
change. This is our chance to make that happen.
Click here to search for your local petition, and find out more about being a leader: http://www.getup.org.au/councils
Shen, Aurora and Matt for the GetUp team
PS. Councils are just the beginning. People across Australia are
beginning to organise in their local institutions – from academics and
students at the University of Newcastle to nurses and doctors in
hospitals – and the No Business In Abuse movement will be here to help
them. Together, we're making it clear to Broadspectrum and Wilson
Security that they cannot continue to profit from abuse without damning
consequences for their entire business model. Can you join your local
council campaign? http://www.getup.org.au/councils
PPS. CommunityRun is a petition platform built and powered by GetUp,
giving everyday Australians the tools to campaign on the issue they're
passionate about. You can read more about CommunityRun here: https://www.communityrun.org
GetUp! is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations.