Dozens of refugees have gathered outside Parliament House in Canberra to call on the government to fast-track permanent resident visas.

The event was part of a set of rolling actions across the nation.

The protesters will be joined on Wednesday by a group of more than 20 mainly Tamil and Iranian women who are walking from Immigration Minister Andrew Giles’ office in Melbourne to the national capital.

They say Labor has ignored the situation of the 10,000 to 12,000 asylum seekers processed under a flawed fast track refugee assessment, and of asylum seekers who have arrived by boat. “We are demanding justice, protection and certainty for all refugees, asylum-seekers and their families,” protester Geetha Ramachandran said.

“We believe that no one should be left behind, and that the rights of all refugees must be recognised and upheld. This includes study rights for their children and work rights for adults.”

By Paul Osborne in Canberra