Newsletter for 5 December 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Market report}

_{Supporters meeting report}

_{Next Roadside Demo - Big Banana Coffs Thursday December 7th 2:30pm}

_{Where does our money go?}

_{Manus Island update}

_{NZ deal nearly gets up in Parliament}

_{Valla Beach market report}

_{Another good market at Valla Beach on Saturday. We had  a happy band of supporters handing out leaflets and talking to market-goers, and collected a fair number of signatures on our petition. This was our final market for 2017. A big thank you to all the supporters who have helped out this year. A great team effort! We’ll publish the details of our planned markets for 2018 early in the New Year.}

_{Meeting and lunch for supporters report}

_{Our meeting and lunch for supporters on Sunday was a great success, with 28 people taking part. We had  lots of lively and constructive discussion about our activities this year and plans for 2018. There was strong support for the key elements of our current advocacy work, and a clear determination to keep up the fight to bring about an end to the cruel policy of offshore detention – a policy supported by the Liberals, the Nationals and Labor. We are completely committed to continue with our campaigning , and we hope that, in 2018, more of our supporters will participate in our many and varied activities.}

_{Lunch on the deck, in beautiful sunshine and with delicious food that people had brought along, was enjoyed by all. And the raffle raised $140!}

_{Roadside demonstration: The Big Banana: Thursday 7th December}

_{Our final roadside demonstration for 2017 will take place this Thursday, 7th December for 2.30 to 4.00 pm by the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. It would be great to end our demos on a high note with a big turnout at this popular location. The government is now under significant pressure in relation to the terrible situation on Manus island, so it is more important than ever that we keep the issue in the public eye. Please consider coming along to join us if you can. We have lots of banners and placards to share.}

_{Where does our money go?}

_{At our meeting on Sunday we were presented with the details of our  income and expenditure for the past twelve months.  Our income amounted to $7,010 from market sales, donations and fundraising. We donated $2,150 to the Asylum Seekers Centre and $2,537 to the Refugee Advice and Casework Services. Both organisations rely very heavily on donations and volunteers to carry out their vital work in assisting asylum seekers and refugees currently living in Australia. They could not  do their work without generous support from groups like ours.}

_{Manus Island update}

_{The cruelty on Manus island goes on, whilst Minister Dutton ties himself in knots whilst attempting to convince us that there is plenty of adequate accommodation  on Manus for the remaining detainees. Amidst denials that any detainees were mistreated in their forcible transfer to the three locations around Lorengau, a group of doctors from Medecins Sans Frontieres have been denied access to the centres. They report that the medical and mental health needs of the detainees require urgent intervention,  that there are medical facilities in only one of the three centres, and that, furthermore, these facilities are basic, and not adequate to deal with the detainees’ complex and serious needs. To add to the problems, it has been reported that key support staff in the new compounds have been evacuated amid concerns for their safety, due to opposition to their presence from locals.}

_{Let’s keep up the pressure to bring this catastrophe to an end. Give Malcolm Turnbull a ring on: (02) 6277 7700 or (02) 9327 3988.  Give Bill Shorten a ring on: (02) 6277 4022 or (03) 9326 1300.}

_{Proposal to Accept NZ refugee offer almost gets up in parliament}

_{Yesterday in Parliament the Senate agreed a resolution to accept the New Zealand government’s offer to take 150 refugees from Manus and Nauru. The issue then went to the House of Representatives, where the Greens MP Adam Bandt tabled the resolution, which was supported by Labor. The  initial vote was 73 to 72 in favour, but later two  Coalition absentees returned to the chamber and the matter went to a second vote and was narrowly lost by 74  votes to 73.}

_{It is beyond disgraceful that our government refuses to accept this humanitarian gesture on the part of the NZ government which would have alleviated the terrible suffering for some of the refugees languishing in offshore detention. However,  we should be encouraged that the Labor opposition, for the first time, has actually opposed the government’s cruel policy, given that, until today, it has been totally complicit in inflicting terrible suffering on innocent people.}

_{Please telephone the Prime Minister  to condemn the government’s actions. Please also telephone Luke Hartsuyker on 6652 6233 to express your dismay that he voted against the resolution.}

_{Check out the index of subjects on our blog  http://bellorar.blogspot.com.au} 

_{It includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.}

_{This newsletter is sent to >500 recipients}

_{Our Face book is at https://www.facebook.com/Rural-Australians-for-Refugees-Bellingen-and-Nambucca-Districts-269696303205083/timeline/}

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_{Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam}

_{Email address bellingen.rar@gmail.com}

_{The National RAR web site is at  www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org.au} 

_{The National RAR facebook site is at  RAR Facebook}

Thanks to NZ PM for compassionate and principled offer to help Manus Island refugees

_{From: Rt. Hon Jacinda Ardern}

_{Sent: Monday, December 4, 2017 10:02 AM}

_{To: Mike Griffin}

_{Subject: RE: Manus island refugees}

_{Dear Mike} 

_{On behalf of the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, thank you for your kind email regarding support for the Manus Island Refugees.} 

_{Your comments have been noted and passed onto the Prime Minister for her information.}

_{Kind regards} 

_{Rachel Frederikson} 

_{Rachel Frederikson | Roving Private Secretary} 

_{Office of the Prime Minister of New Zealand}

_{From: Mike Griffin [mailto:mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 22 November 2017 10:06 PM
To: J Ardern (MIN) <j.ardern@ministers.govt.nz>
Subject: Manus island refugees}

<sub>Thank you Jacinda Ahern for your compassionate and principled offer to take 150 refugees who our government continues to torture in offshore detention. Please stay strong, resist the bullying from Dutton, and insist on negotiating the transfer of these innocent and damaged people from Manus island.


Mike Griffin</sub>

New Zealand offers to take 267 asylum seekers Guardian article 16 February 2016

New Zealand offers to take 267 asylum seekers, including 37 babies, from Australia

The country’s prime minister, John Key, says the ‘sensible and compassionate’ offer still stands despite Australia ‘historically rejecting it’

The prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, has repeated his country’s offer to take the 267 asylum seekers facing deportation to Manus Island and Nauru. Photograph: Adam Berry/Getty Images

Helen Davidson

Asylum seekers facing deportation to Nauru and Manus Island by the Australian government could go to New Zealand if they are found to be refugees, the country’s prime minister has said.

On Monday John Key indicated his country could provide a solution to the standoff over the 267 people slated to be returned to offshore processing centres.

Thousands rally Australia-wide against offshore detention of asylum seekers

Read more

In 2013 agreement was brokered between his and the then prime minister Julia Gillard’s government. The agreement allows for New Zealand to take 150 refugees a year from Australia’s immigration system as part of its annual intake of 750 people.

Key reiterated the “sensible and compassionate” offer still stood, if Australia asked, Fairfax reported.

“Historically the Australians have said no but it is part of the 750 allocation that we have and if they wanted us to take people then – subject to them meeting the criteria – the New Zealand government would be obliged to do that because we’ve given that commitment that we’d do so,” Key said ahead of a meeting with the Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull.

In January Guardian Australia reported that Australia had never taken up the offer but it remained open, despite the former prime minister, Tony Abbott, effectively shelving when he took office.

Among those facing deportation are 37 babies born in Australia to asylum seeker parents, and another 54 children, some of whom are attending school. A high court decision this month ruled Australia’s offshore processing regime legal. The government had introduced retrospective legislation after the case had begun.

Key said it was “potentially possible” the 37 babies could be accepted by New Zealand but “it would need to fit within the criteria that they are refugees as defined by the broader category that we take”.

Should it go ahead, a transfer would probably have to happen after July. A spokeswoman for New Zealand’s immigration minister, Michael Woodhouse, told Guardian Australia this year’s 150 places had been absorbed into the total 750 and used to accommodate Syrian refugees.

Key’s suggestion is likely to fuel community pressure on the Australian government over its plans to return the asylum seekers to Manus and Nauru, where abuses against asylum seekers have been documented. Mass protests have called for an amnesty allowing the asylum seekers – and particularly the Australian-born babies and their families – to be allowed to stay.

Churches offer sanctuary to asylum seekers facing deportation to Nauru

State leaders on both sides of politics have offered to take the asylum seekers, and a number of churches have offered sanctuary – an ancient biblical concept that is not legally recognised in Australian law.

A Brisbane hospital has refused to discharge a baby, known as Asha, because it believes Nauru is not a safe environment for a child. Other medical workers have also spoken out in defiance of the Border Force Act which criminalises the discussion of detention conditions by “entrusted persons”.

This week the leading medical journal the Lancet described Australia’s offshore detention policies as “scandalously objectionable”.

Turnbull and Australia’s immigration minister, Peter Dutton, have said the government must continue its hard-line stance to prevent a resurgence in people smuggling.