National rallies to bring refugees to Aust

Rallies across Australia will call for an end to the offshore detention of refugees and asylum seekers; author Richard Flanagan will join the Melbourne event.

Man Booker prize-winning author Richard Flanagan will attend a refugee rally in Melbourne. (AAP)

An award-winning author will be among thousands expected to rally across Australia to call for an end to offshore detention of refugees.

Man Booker prize-winning author Richard Flanagan will attend the Melbourne rally to call for an end to the policy.

"Every day that the asylum seekers of Nauru and Manus Island live in the torment of punishment without end, guilty of no crime, we too become a little less free," Mr Flanagan said in a statement.

Iranian journalist and author Behrouz Boochani has also called on Australians to attend the rallies.

"The Australian government has kept at least 1000 innocent people as hostages for almost six years," he said.

"We need to stop harming people to deter others," former Socceroo and refugee advocate Craig Foster said ahead of the rally in Sydney where he is expected to address the crowds.

Organisations including the Refugee Action Collective, the ACTU, The Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project and others are expected to attend the rallies.