Roadside demonstration report
Concert: Songs from the Heart. Final curtain call
Offshore detention: the scare tactics continue
Catholic bishop speaks out on Manus detainees
A Grain of Hope: A picture book by Nicola Philp
Roadside demonstration report
A great turn-out of supporters for last Thursday’s demonstration in front of the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. We had a really positive afternoon in the hot sunshine, with overwhelming support for our campaign to publicise the plight of the refugees on Manus and Nauru.
Shouted comment of the week from a visitor standing beneath the Big Banana: “What about the Menindee lakes?”!!
Our next demonstration will be by the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour, opposite the Base hospital on Thursday 21st February from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. Please come and join us if you can, especially as several of our staunch supporters will be away on holiday.
Concert: Songs from the Heart. Final curtain call
A final reminder that Heather Rose and friends will be staging an exciting concert in the Main Hall of the Nambucca Community and Arts Centre on Sunday 17th February, starting at 2.00 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 concessions and children free. Refreshments will be provided. You can look forward to an enjoyable afternoon of some of your favourite classical pieces, together with well-known jazz numbers. Heather Rose, a classical and jazz pianist, will be joined by Charlie Chorley on trumpet and Peter Harris on drums. You can pay on the door or book in advance at HelloWorld Travel on Bowra Street, Nambucca Heads.
Whilst this concert is not organized by RAR, we are delighted to have a presence, which will enable us to hold a fundraising raffle, raise awareness about the plight of refugees and asylum seekers, and collect signatures on our open letter to Minister Dutton.
Offshore detention: the scare tactics continue
Utterly predictably, the government is doing what it promised to do, that is, “whatever it takes”, to derail Dr Kerryn Phelps’ Urgent Medical Treatment Bill, which is due to be voted on this week, possibly today. The Bill’s purpose is to ensure that the medical needs of refugees on Manus and Nauru take precedence over the political priorities of bureaucrats and government ministers. Last week Prime Minister Morrison stated that, if the bill was passed into law, then the legislation would bring rapists, paedophiles and murderers into the country, and “we would just have to take them.” He ignores the fact that we are talking about refugees, whose backgrounds have been rigorously checked. He ignores the fact that the proposed legislation gives the Minister the power to reject a transfer on national security grounds.
Minister Dutton made the risible claim that any two doctors, including former Greens leader Bob Brown and current Greens leader Richard Di Natale, would have a free hand to order the transfer of people from Manus and Nauru. Putting aside the fact that neither of them are currently registered to practice medicine, his irresponsible comments are deliberately designed to deceive, but neatly reinforce the view expressed by Minister Coleman that the bill would “outsource Australia’s strong border protection to activists”.
It is beyond sad that the refugees on Manus and Nauru continue to be used as political pawns as we approach the federal election.
As for the PM’s comments that passage of the bill would result in significant numbers of people- interestingly described by him as “single males,”- coming to Australia, simply underlines the fact that the detention regime has broken the spirit and the health of so many people, who are entitled to our government’s protection. These refugees surely need to be brought to Australia to receive appropriate medical treatment for the pain and suffering that we have deliberately inflicted on them for more than five years.
We will need to keep up the fight for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers up to and beyond the federal elections.
Catholic bishop speaks out on Manus detainees
The General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and the Solomon Isles, Giorgio Licini, visited Manus Island three weeks ago, and subsequently reported that the situation is untenable and that the refugees should be removed from Manus for urgent medical attention. He wrote to the PNG government as follows: “I am now humbly asking you to give a very close deadline to the authorities in Canberra for the removal of all refugees from our country on the basis of strongly compelling medical and humanitarian reasons.”
Perhaps it would be a good idea for us and other RAR groups to make contact with the PNG government to reinforce Bishop Licini’s plea. We will investigate further with national RAR.
A Grain of Hope: A picture book by Nicola Philp
Nicola Philp is a member of the Apollo Bay RAR group and has recently had her book “A Grain of Hope” published. It is a beautifully illustrated picture book for older readers (from 8 to adult) of a dog and a refugee girl, whose stories mirror each other. It is the perfect way to facilitate discussions with children (and adults!) about the heartless way in which Australia has been treating asylum seekers in detention centres. It is available in hardback or paperback from Reading Kids (Carlton, Victoria) or at www.nicolaphilp.com/shop/, or you can contact Nicola on: 0404 306 332. The book includes facts about refugees at the end.
As Nicola states: “We need to change the thoughts of the next generation to move forward positively in the future.”
100% of profits will be donated to Rural Australians for Refugees.
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