Australia has ‘moral duty’ to take 20,000 more Afghan refugees, Catholic bishops say

Afghan refugees rally in Canberra in February. Australia has an obligation to ‘those who supported Australian military forces’, Catholic bishops say. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Australia’s Catholic bishops have called for a special intake of 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan, saying the country has a “moral duty” to do more.

As part of its election statement, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said the country had an obligation to take more refugees from Afghanistan because of the support shown to Australian military forces.