Dozens of rallies calling for more humane policies towards refugees and asylum-seekers are being held nationwide.
Advocates are pushing the government to release all asylum-seekers in detention along with providing permanent protection for temporary visa holders and social safety net as well as increasing the refugee intake program.
The Palm Sunday marches across major cities from Sydney to Darwin come ahead of a federal election called for May 21 and after more than 25 refugees were released last week, including eight people from Melbourne's Park Hotel.
"Their detention was never justified and clearly in breach of Australia's treaty obligations on arbitrary detention and the treatment of refugees," the Refugee Council of Australia said upon their release.
"It has seriously damaged the individuals' mental and physical health, cost the Australian taxpayers a fortune and done much damage to Australia's international reputation."
Park Hotel is where tennis player Novak Djokovic was detained earlier this year.
Djokovic was ultimately deported on the eve of the Australian Open after the Federal Court upheld the immigration minister's decision to cancel his visa.
Last month, the federal government announced 16,500 humanitarian places for Afghan nationals and has resettled some 5000 Ukrainians since the start of the Russian invasion.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre says 10 refugees remain in Australian detention centres while nearly 200 remain in offshore centres on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
