"They'll Put a Sick Baby on a Plane, but Not a Sick Cardinal': Scathing Church Sign Takes Aim at the Australian Government's Treatment of Refugees and George Pell

By Belinda Cleary
Daily Mail
February 25, 2016

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3464748/Melbourne-Welsh-church-sign-refugees-Cardinal-George-Pell.html

A church minister has taken on Cardinal George Pell and the Australian government's treatment of refugees in one carefully worded sign.

The Melbourne Welsh Church's Minister Sion Gough Hughes has publically questioned the government's decision to fly refugee babies back to detention while Cardinal Pell refuses to come back to Australia to give evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse because he is sick.

It reads; 'Australia – where the government will try to put a sick baby on a plane, but not a sick Cardinal.'

A sign posted out the front of the Melbourne Welsh Church on Monday

The sign directly targets the Australian government's decision to send baby Asha (pictured) back to an off-shore detention facility

The sign calls into question the decision not to force Cardinal George Pell to fly to Australia to give evidence at the Royal Commission

The sign has gone viral online after being posted to Facebook on Monday.

Minister Gough Hughes told Daily Mail Australia the sign is less about Pell than it is refugees.

'People have taken it to be about Pell, but he is innocent until proven guilty but I do believe he needs to turn up,' he said.

'He needs to come and tell the Royal Commission what he knows, we don't know what he knows so that is the issue.'

The minister says he posted the sign because both issues are important, but he has noticed most people's reaction show they think it is aimed more at Cardinal Pell.

'It is more about refugees, in general, not just babies,' he said.

'The way our government is treating refugees is horrible.'

The church minister says he saw the post on Twitter and believes both issues are important so decided to use it on his noticeboard

The photo of the sign was posted on the same day the government said Asha, a one-year-old Nepalise refugee in Australia for the treatment of burns, would be sent back to the Nauru detention centre in order to deter people smugglers from illegally bringing refugees into the country.

The minister was inspired to change the message board after seeing the message in a Tweet on Saturday.

The Facebook post has been shared more that 3000 times, but the photo has also been shared on Imgur where it has been viewed more than 5000 times.

Cardinal Pell is due to assist with the Royal Commission on Monday via video-link from a hotel room in Rome.

A crowd funding campaign which raise more than $200,000 will allow 15 abuse survivors and their supporters are flying from Australia to Rome to listen to Pell's testimony in person.

The church is an independent church, their minister was not expecting such a huge reaction to the sign when he uploaded it.

Cardinal George Pell will be given evidence on Monday via video link