MP MEETING TOOLKIT

“Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.”

- Isaiah 1:17

Thank you for being here.

Whether this is your first time contacting an elected representative or something you have done many times before, your willingness to take action matters.

The #EndTheWaiting campaign is built on a simple belief: that Australia can be a place of welcome, and that people of faith have a role to play in helping make that possible.

Over the last 75 years, Australia has welcomed one million refugees. Those stories have helped shape our communities, churches, schools, workplaces, and neighbourhoods. Yet today, as more people are displaced than at any other point in human history, many continue to wait for safety, opportunity, and a place to belong.

As churches and Christian organisations from across Australia, we believe that following Jesus calls us to love our neighbours, welcome the stranger, and seek the wellbeing of those who are vulnerable. We also believe that change often begins with ordinary people taking small, faithful steps.

That is why we are inviting Christians across Australia to contact their local Members of Parliament and share a simple message: Australia can do better, and together we can help make that happen.

You do not need to be a policy expert. You do not need to have all the answers. You simply need to be willing to show up, share why this matters to you, and invite your elected representatives to listen.

Thank you for lending your voice to this effort. Every email sent, every meeting held, and every conversation started helps build a more welcoming Australia.

We hope this toolkit equips and encourages you for the journey ahead.

With gratitude and hope,

The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce

The #EndTheWaiting campaign is urging the Government to:

  1. Maintain and expand Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program, in line with Australia’s pledge at the Global Refugee Forum in 2023 to build the program to 27,000 places.

  2. Commit to complementary pathways as additional to our humanitarian intake, like skilled refugee labour and refugee student settlement, and making them a permanent part of our humanitarian program.

  3. Ensure people in Australia, who are awaiting the outcome of their applications for protection, have access to work and Medicare, preserving dignity and enabling contribution to the community.

  • Expand Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program to 27,000 places
    Australia has publicly committed to growing its Refugee and Humanitarian Program to 27,000 places through its pledge at the Global Refugee Forum. However, the program has remained at around 20,000 places for several years. As global displacement reaches record levels, increasing the program to 27,000 places would honour Australia's existing commitment and provide safety to thousands more people in need of protection.

    Make complementary pathways permanent and additional
    Refugees have skills, qualifications, family connections, and aspirations. Complementary pathways—such as skilled migration, student visas, and community sponsorship—create additional opportunities for people to rebuild their lives safely while contributing to Australian communities. However, these pathways should be additional to Australia's humanitarian intake. Without additionality, they simply shift people between visa categories rather than creating more opportunities for refugees to find safety and belonging in Australia.

    Ensure access to work rights and Medicare while people wait
    Many people in Australia spend years awaiting decisions on their protection claims. While some have access to work rights and Medicare, others do not. For those denied these basic supports, the consequences can be severe—leading to poverty, social isolation, deteriorating health, and dependence on charities. Access to work and Medicare preserves dignity, supports wellbeing, and enables people to contribute positively to the communities they are already part of while their claims are assessed.

    This campaign has worked in closely with the Refugee Council of Australia and their advocacy. For further background, we encourage you to read their Vision for the 48th Parliament of Australia.

The Game Plan — And How You Can Be Involved

This year, the #EndTheWaiting campaign is focused on helping MPs hear directly from people of faith across Australia. Alongside a national open letter, media engagement, church outreach, and refugee stories, we are equipping people across the country to organise meetings with their electorate MPs.

Our goal is simple: ensure elected representatives hear from constituents who support refugee welcome and our campaign asks.

You can be involved by:

  • Organising a meeting with your local MP

  • Joining a meeting already planned in your electorate

  • Sending a personalised email to your MP

  • Sharing the campaign within your church and community

Every action helps demonstrate that support for refugees is not a niche concern, but one shared by everyday Australians across the country.

Keep reading this guide to get involved.

Why Meet With Your MP?

MPs are elected to represent the people in their electorate. Meeting with your local MP is an opportunity to share why refugee welcome matters to you, your church, and your community.

These conversations matter. MPs regularly raise the concerns of their constituents with Ministers, advisers, and government departments. When MPs hear the same message from communities across Australia, it creates momentum for change.

By meeting with your MP, you help ensure that the voices of people of faith are part of the conversation shaping Australia's refugee policies.

#EndTheWaiting’s Theory of Change

If Christians across Australia send emails, request meetings, deliver our campaign's open letter, and share refugee stories with their elected representatives—

Then MPs will be more likely to act on our campaign asks: expanding Australia's refugee intake, strengthening complementary pathways, and ensuring dignity for people seeking protection.

Because elected representatives are influenced by the concerns of their constituents. When MPs hear a consistent message from people of faith across churches, communities, and electorates, they see that support for refugee welcome is not a niche issue, but one held by everyday Australians.

And when the Church speaks with a united voice—across denominations, electorates, and communities—it becomes both harder for leaders to ignore and easier for them to act.

The Responsibility of Meeting Organisers

As a meeting organiser, you would be responsible for:

  1. Helping coordinate a meeting with your local MP. This includes making the initial meeting request and following up if needed.

  2. Being open to others joining the meeting. The #EndTheWaiting team may connect you with other supporters from your electorate who would like to participate, including people you may not know personally.

  3. Joining a Common Grace Briefing Zoom and Organising a preparation session. Before the meeting, we ask organisers to join a briefing Zoom with Common Grace (hosted weekly) and coordinate a time for participants to connect, discuss the campaign asks, and prepare together.

  4. Following through on the meeting and debrief. This includes attending the meeting and sharing key outcomes with the campaign team afterwards.

  5. Staying in communication with the #EndTheWaiting team. We'll be available to support you throughout the process and may occasionally contact you regarding meeting updates or next steps.

You do not need advocacy experience or policy expertise to organise a meeting. Your primary role is simply to help coordinate the conversation and ensure your electorate is represented.

The Committed Posture of Organisers

All Meeting Organisers must agree to:

  • Lead with love, grace, and respect.

  • Be non-partisan in their engagement.

  • Listen generously and speak thoughtfully.

  • Honour the dignity of every person.

  • Invite rather than demand.

  • Build relationships, not division.

  • Seek understanding, common ground, and positive change.

Step 1. Check whether there is a meeting happening in your electorate.

Use the…

Vigil Assistant

Step 2. Send a meeting request or be connected to a local meeting organiser

Step 3. Connect the #EndTheWaiting team & other organisers.

Once you have submitted the forms mentioned in the previous steps, we will send an automated email with access to the:

#EndTheWaiting WhatsApp Group: This is a group with everyone involved in electorate meetings across the country. It is a chance to build community, share inspiration and ask and answer each others questions.

Weekly Zoom Drop-Ins: #EndTheWaiting is being coordinated by Common Grace. Members of the Common Grace team will be available by Zoom every week at the same time to drop by, connect and ask any questions you might have.

Step 4. Prepare For Your Meeting

We have prepared a range of resources, including a Guide to Meeting Your MP, and materials for you to print and handover.

Get The Materials

Step 5. Meeting and Debrief

Hold your meeting with your MP. By this stage you already prepped and ready. Know we will be holding you in prayer. After your meeting follow the guidance in the materials and communications sent to you to debrief the meeting and share any photos you have.