Report on "human rights abuses" below
Forum organised by "Mid North Coast Refugee Support Group", THIS Saturday 7 November in Port Macquarie
"Will you support refugee settlement on the mid north coast"
for invitation see http://bellorar.blogspot.
This newsletter is stored here for archive purposes, to read the rest of the newsletter click below
Labor caucus to debate offshore detention
On 10th November the Labor Party caucus will debate a motion prepared by Melissa Parke , and supported by Anna Burke, which will call on the Labor Party to close the detention centres on Manus and Nauru. Both MPs have for many years been steadfast supporters of a humane and compassionate approach to the treatment of asylum seekers. This is a great opportunity for RAR supporters to write to NSW Labor Senators and to Bill Shorten, Tanya Plibersek and Richard Marles, to urge them to support the motion and to recognise that public opinion is steadily shifting towards a humane and compassionate policy that is in keeping with our international obligations. Please tell our representatives that we are utterly opposed to the Party’s current position and that nothing less than a clear commitment to close offshore detention centres will be acceptable. Please put your town, postcode and NSW in your email otherwise the Senators will ignore you
Please send your emails to:
Senator Doug Cameron: senator.cameron@aph.
Senator Jenny McAllister: jennifer.
Senator Sam Dastyari: senator.dastyari@
Senator Deborah O’Neill: senator.oneill@aph.
Bill Shorten MP : Bill.Shorten.MP@aph.gov.au.
Tanya Plibersek MP : Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.
Richard Marles MP: Richard.Marles.MP@aph.gov.
You might also like to email Melissa Parke and Anna Burke to encourage them in their endeavours to support a principled asylum policy and to tell them that you have written to NSW Senators and the Labor leadership to urge them to change the current cruel and unlawful policy. Their email addresses are:
Melissa Parke MP: melissa.parke.mp@aph.gov.
Anna Burke MP : Anna.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au.
Mike
Mike's email to the Senators is on the blog which may help - see http://bellorar.
Another approach is to highlight the bad management of the Border Force organisation which is wasting tax payers money to pursue the inhumane policies of the Federal Government
Dear Senator Dastyari
I have admired your forensic investigations into public service waste in Senate committees.
With the Labor Caucus discussion about offshore detention policy to take place soon, I would like to remind you of the costs of the Governments Border Control policy, with a few examples
It is stated that it costs $400,000 per year for each detainee in offshore detention. see http://bellorar.blogspot.
That is not surprising when you read about the case of the pregnant Somali asylum seeker who has been flown three times between Nauru and Australia, including a charter jet to get her back quickly to Nauru costing $130,000. seehttp://bellorar.blogspot.
There are ex prisoners languishing on Christmas Island who have had their visas cancelled despite having completed their sentence for their crime.
There was the case of Vietnam Veteran spending 4 months in detention, awaiting deportation only to be released back into the community. see http://bellorar.blogspot.
In this weeks papers, a mother and 2 children (Australian citizens) are locked up in Villawood detention centre because of false information on her visa application in 2009. A guard has to escort her daughter to and from school each day. Just think of the cost as well as the trauma of this situation. see http://bellorar.blogspot.
A Brisbane student was dragged out of school in August and put in detention. This meant she was denied completing her HSC preparation. see http://bellorar.blogspot.
The cost of reorganising Immigration and Customs, including new uniforms and signage must make you shake your head with despair. see http://bellorar.blogspot.
If you look at the statistics of illegal sea arrivals on merchant ships, overstayers on work or tourist visas, and people applying for asylum after arriving by air, you would realise that the boat people are not the main problem in trying to protect the borders. see http://bellorar.blogspot.
I am sending a copy of this email to your fellow NSW Senators to also think about a Border Control system that is totally out of control. Cost is only a small factor in the trauma and destruction of lives, caused by decisions where the long term implications are not taken into account.
If you need more information on these specific cases, I can send details to you.
David Wallin
Have we stopped the boats?
The claim that we have ' stopped the boats' rings hollow. The photograph
shows volunteers helping refugees disembark after arrival on the Greek
island of Lesbos last Friday, October 30th 2015 . At least two other boats
travelling from Turkey to Greece sank during the preceding week and an
unknown number of migrants drowned.
We have not ' stopped the boats' at all. We have diverted them to another
part of the world. The problems have escalated considerably in recent months
and we can no longer turn our back on the problem . Last week Tony Abbott in
his "Margaret Thatcher" memorial address urged the UK to ' stop the boats
by "securing its borders" . This is a facile suggestion and will do nothing
to either stem the tide of migrants or to stop the boats.
An urgent international effort is needed to address this crisis and Australia needs to be part of this.
Marlene
A date for your diary
As indicated in last week’s Newsletter, we are planning a meeting and social get-together for all our supporters in the New Year. The event will take place on Sunday 21st February 2016, starting at midday with a meeting to discuss progress and strategy, followed at 1.00 pm by lunch. Please put the date in your diary. Further details will be circulated nearer the time.
Report on RAR stall at Coffs Harbour markets on 1 November
We had another successful market stall at the Coffs Harbourside market at the weekend. As usual, there was much interaction with the public, and we sold a number of bags, tea towels and bumper stickers, all of which help to spread the word about asylum seekers. Many of our visitors are well informed, but others are curious and interested to learn more, which is an important aspect to our presence at these markets. We collected signatures for our petition to the Prime Minister and signed up some new supporters.
If you haven’t so far volunteered to help with our market stall, you might want to consider joining us in Bellingen or Valla Beach. (details below).
Remaining market dates for 2015
The other two market dates for your diary are:
Saturday 21st November at Bellingen.
Saturday 5th December at Valla Beach.
No Business in Abuse report
This 115 page report was prepared to challenge the position of Transfield Holdings in its role providing services at offshore detention centres
section 7 detailing specific human rights abuses is on the blog see http://bellorar.blogspot.com.
______________________________
Blog http://bellorar.blogspot.
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Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam
David Wallin
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