Next Roadside Demo - Nambucca Heads Plaza Thursday Juul 13th 2:30pm
Next Market Stall - Bellingen Sat 15th July
GetUp! campaign: Four years too many
Scotts Head film night report
Refugee Week successes
Next roadside demonstration: Thursday 13th July 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm: Nambucca Heads
As you will probably be aware, our roadside demonstration planned for last Thursday had to be called off due to the heavy rain. Our next demonstration will be in Nambucca Heads on Thursday 13th July. You will find us in our usual spot by the Pacific Highway adjacent to the Plaza shopping centre. Why not make a resolution to come and join us for an hour or so? The roadside demos are a great way to get our message about asylum seekers across to the general public. It would be great to welcome some new supporters to these events. Banners and placards are provided.
Next Market: Bellingen market on Saturday 15th July : 9.00 am until 1.30 pm
Our next market stall will be at the very popular Bellingen market on Saturday 15th July. We will be collecting signatures on our new petition, handing out leaflets, selling our merchandise and chatting to market-goers about our government’s cruel asylum policies. The markets are always enjoyable events and offer an opportunity for our supporters to catch up with one another in addition to promoting the refugee cause. If you can join us for an hour or so, then please let Mike know by email at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.
GetUp! campaign: Four years too many
You might have seen the flyers for the GetUp! campaign about the closure of offshore detention centres. As the publicity states: “For four years, successive governments have forced people seeking safety to suffer in offshore detention. In October, Manus will be bulldozed, and the company that operates the Nauru camp will leave. It seems the Turnbull government is preparing to abandon these men, women and children, with nowhere safe to go.”
GetUp! is helping to coordinate dozens of candlelit vigils across the nation on Wednesday 19th July to mark the four years since Kevin Rudd announced that people seeking safety in Australia by boat would never be settled here.
We would be happy to organise a vigil in our area (either in Bellingen or Coffs Harbour), provided that there is sufficient support. Would you be prepared to attend a vigil in one or other of these two venues for half an hour or so , starting at 5.30 pm or 6.00 pm.? It could be a great family affair! Please let us know this week by emailing Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com. If we have at least ten people who are prepared to commit to attending, we’ll publish the details in next week’s newsletter.
Scotts Head film night report
A small group of people attended the screening of the film “Cast from a Storm” in Scotts Head last week. It was a harrowing, but ultimately uplifting account of a group of young refugees in Sydney who over time, with the expert and dedicated help of two adults, were able to tell their tragic stories of fleeing from their war-torn countries to seek asylum in Australia, and to turn their stories in to a drama presentation. A very moving film, which highlighted the need for asylum seekers to be given the intensive support that they need to overcome the trauma of leaving their homeland and building a new life in Australia. A big thank you to Janet Granek for organising the screening of the film.
Refugee Week successes: Tim O’Connor, Director of the Refugee Council of Australia
Tim O’Connor writes: “The number of events hosted across the country has almost doubled in just one year. This just goes to show the incredible support Australians have for people seeking safety here. Our politicians have a real opportunity to harness this good will to make more of a contribution to global displacement and build positive settlement outcomes.” We did our bit!
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