Newsletter for 20 November 2018 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{Bellingen market report}

_{A volunteering opportunity in Coffs Harbour}

_{Canstruct makes $43 million profit}

_{Universal Children’s Day: Tuesday 20}^th _November

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{A big thank you to the supporters who turned up to our roadside demo in Toormina last Thursday. As usual, we had lots of positive support from passing motorists, which seems to indicate that more and more people are unhappy about our government’s cruel treatment of refugees on Nauru and Manus. Our next roadside demonstration will be on Thursday 29}^th _{November from 2.30 to 4.00 pm next to the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. We would very much encourage new supporters to consider joining us.}

_{Bellingen market report}

_{We arrived at the market at 6.45 am, just as the rain began to fall, so we had a fairly soggy start, but the skies eventually cleared and the market-goers turned up in large numbers. We were kept busy all morning, handing out leaflets, collecting signatures on the open letter to the Prime Minister, and engaging in lots of constructive conversations with visitors to our stall. A great team of supporters, as always!}

_{Our final market stall of 2018 will be at the Valla Beach market on Saturday 1}^st _{December from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. If you can lend a hand for an hour or two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{A volunteering opportunity in Coffs Harbour}

_{Would you like to be a volunteer learner driver supervisor? There are many refugees in Coffs Harbour who need to complete their driving hours so that they can access greater opportunities to find employment in the area. Many of them were experienced drivers in their country of origin, and just need help to complete their statutory hours of driving practice. You will be required to supervise participants in on-road practice and/or support learners to prepare for the knowledge test. Vehicles and induction are provided. For more information, please contact: Community Project Officer, Jude, on 0450 747 923 or email at: jbarker@redcross.org.au.}

_{Canstruct makes $43 million profit}

_{You may recall that this Brisbane-based company was awarded a contract last year to provide “garrison and welfare services” for running Australia’s immigration detention centre on Nauru. With a turnover of $212 million, the company has made a very healthy profit through overseeing the misery and hardship of the asylum seekers and refugees trapped on the island. The company’s contract has now been extended to April 2019, with our government increasing its payment to Canstruct from $28.9 million to $34.4 million per month. That’s more than a million dollars a day to maintain our government’s cruel detention regime.}

_{Universal Children’s Day: Tuesday 20}^th _November

_{On this day in 1959 the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This was followed thirty years later, on the same date, by the signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Australia is a signatory to both documents. It goes without saying that our government’s treatment of children in detention is utterly inconsistent with the obligations which were signed up to. This week, therefore, is a very good time to remind our leaders of their obligations to protect children and to ensure that they have access to family life, education, healthcare and freedom. Please consider phoning the Prime Minister’s office (02 6277 7700) or Minister Dutton’s office (02 6277 7860) to demand that: the families remaining on Nauru be brought to Australia immediately; families are reunited without delay; families must be given their freedom when they are brought to Australia, and not be held in onshore detention centres; families must be given permanent resettlement so that they can begin to rebuilt their shattered lives. Please call on our leaders to resettle these families here or accept the New Zealand government’s offer to resettle 150 refugees.}

_{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.}

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

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