A message for Australia

We had a great time at connections this past weekend. Some really, good opportunities for Christ - including a time at Melbourne Federation Square with around 3000 Salvationists and some Media gathered to hear what we had to say.
Among other things we had a chance to tell Australia as a nation that it was time to END HUMAN TRAFFICKING NOW!
In 2001 Australia was one of 100 countries that signed the UN Trafficking Protocol (Palermo Protocol). In that was a promise that they would:
1. provide for survivors of trafficking
2. protect victims and potential victims from trafficking
3. prosecute those responsible for trafficking

Although in 2003 Australia released an anti-trafficking package - it has done VERY little to make good it's promise to the world.

We resolved as The Salvation Army to help Australia keep her promise and were able to remind the nation of how they could start to END TRAFFICKING NOW!
We suggested two immediate steps:
1. immediate federal funding for safe houses (protection for survivors of trafficking)
2. immediate VISA classification for trafficking survivors - this is in desperate need of revision...

needless to say it was quite a vision - I've a feeling Booth would be proud.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the fruit of the declaration... God willing it will help to create change and make a way for those caught in the clutches of trafficking to get free and stay that way! God grant it.