Hundreds of activists gathered at Palm Sunday rallies in early April around the country to demand the federal government give permanent visas for refugees stuck in limbo. Protesters in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne held placards reading, "Permanent visas for all" and "10 years too long", and accusing the government of "using refugees as political prisoners".

Our rally in Sydney was soaked with rain but this did not dampen the spirits of the people gathered calling on the government to act now to end this despair.

NSWCCL lauded the government's decision in February to grant permanent residency visas to 19,000 asylum seekers on temporary protection visas, but there are still thousands of people stuck in limbo both in Australia and at off-shore processing centres. This is just not good enough from a Labor government promising compassion.