Newsletter for 19 September 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Next Market Stall -Valla Beach Sat 7th October}

_{Next Roadside Demo - Nambucca Plaza Thursday September 21st 2:30pm}

_{National RAR Committee update}

_{Bellingen market report}

_{Our market stall in Bellingen at the weekend was hugely successful. Some ten supporters came along to lend a hand, and many more dropped by for a chat. We had lots of interesting and detailed conversations with market goers, we handed out leaflets, sold lots of merchandise, and collected 130 signatures on our petition. There is always a really positive buzz around our stall, which attracts a lot of attention. A big thank you to everyone who turned up to help. Another great team effort...........Now if we can get ten people to turn up for our next roadside demonstration....}

_{Our next market  stall will be at the Valla Beach market on Saturday  7th October from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. If you can lend a hand for a while, then please email Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com to let him know.}

_{Next roadside demonstration: Thursday 21st September: Nambucca Heads. 2.30 to 4.00 pm}

_{Please note that our next roadside demonstration is this Thursday in Nambucca Heads. You will find us in our usual spot by the Pacific Highway, adjacent to the Plaza shopping centre. Please try to come and join us if you can. We have lots of banners and placards to share, but we do need more pairs of hands to hold them up for passing motorists to see. It’s a great way to get our message across about the cruel and inhumane policy of our government in relation to refugees and asylum seekers.}

_{An update from our national RAR committee}

_{Last week our national President and Treasurer visited Canberra  to meet with a number of MPs and Senators to articulate the concerns of RAR members about the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees. Over several days they met with the Independent MP Cathy McGowan, Labor MP Mike Kelly, Greens Senators Richard Di Natale and Nick McKim, Labor Senator Sam Dastyari , the Labor Shadow Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Shayne Neumann,  and finally  Labor MP Lisa Chesters. It must have been an exhausting few days and we congratulate our national RAR friends for taking this initiative. Key points to note in the report are: “We were very surprised at the similarity of Shayne Neumann’s attitude and approach to that of the Minister for Immigration and Border protection Peter Dutton”, followed by: “My overall impression is that Labor still does not think that there is significant support for refugees and asylum seekers. It is up to us to show them that this is not the case and that there are considerable numbers of people in rural and regional areas who care. We can do this through concerted letter writing, emails, phone calls and attending meetings where politicians are and asking questions. Social media is a tool that politicians watch  very closely.”}

_{We can only echo these comments and continue to encourage our members to write to politicians and to phone their offices. The full report from our national representatives can be found on our blog, the details of which are at the bottom of this newsletter. Also on the blog you will find lots of emails to politicians and letters to the media which you can use as a guide if you wish. It can make the task so much easier, so why not have a look and give it a go?}

_{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/}

_{(482 likes)}

_{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}