Newsletter for 19 February 2019 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Report on the “Songs from the Heart” Concert}

_{Roadside demonstration: Thursday 21}^st _{February, Coffs Harbour}

_{Next market stall: Coffs Harbourside Market, Sunday 24}^th _February

_{The Medevac Bill set to become law}

_{It’s better to come by plane!}

_{Report on the “Songs from the Heart” Concert}

_{We were delighted to be offered the opportunity to have a presence at the Songs from the Heart concert in the beautiful main hall of the Nambucca Community and Arts Centre on Sunday 17}^th_{February. The concert was well-attended and much enjoyed by the appreciative audience. Takings from our raffle, sales of works of art and donations amounted to $376, which will be donated to the Asylum Seekers Centre. We also sold merchandise amounting to $230, and the profits from these sales will also be sent to ASC. It was a great opportunity to promote our cause and to speak up for refugees and asylum seekers, especially those who have been languishing for more than five years on Manus and Nauru. We collected lots of signatures on our letter to minister Dutton and signed up a number of new supporters.}

_{A huge thank you to our great team of helpers, and to Heather Rose for allowing us to promote our cause at her concert.}

_{Roadside demonstration: Thursday 21}^st _{February, Coffs Harbour}

_{Our next roadside demonstration is this Thursday, 21}^st _{February from 2.30 to 4.00 pm opposite the Base hospital, by the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour. It would be great if you could join us, to help us keep the plight of refugees and asylum seekers in the public eye as we approach the federal election. There is so much misinformation and scaremongering about asylum seekers and refugees at the moment, as politicians seek to use the issue as a tool for re-election. It is beyond sad that these people are used as political fodder in the fight for votes. We have lots of placards and banners to share, so please join us if you can.}

_{Next market stall: Coffs Harbourside Market, Sunday 24}^th _February

_{Our next market stall will be at the Coffs Harbourside market next Sunday 24}^th _{February from9.00 am until 1.30 pm. We’ll be handing out leaflets, collecting signatures, selling our merchandise and interacting with market-goers. The markets are always enjoyable events, so why not give it a try? If you can help out for an hour or two, then please email Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{The Medevac Bill set to become law}

_{Against the odds, the bill to put doctors, rather than bureaucrats and politicians, at the forefront of decisions about the medical treatment of refugees and asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru, finally got through the House of Representatives and the Senate last week. Sadly, but predictably, the passage of the Bill has resulted in an onslaught of fearmongering from the government and its friends in the media.}

_{A few facts:}

_{The new legislation, enabling the medical evacuation of sick people, applies only to people currently on Manus and Nauru. It does not apply to any future asylum seekers. This amendment was adopted by Labor, and agreed to by the Greens, independents and crossbenchers following advice from the intelligence service.}

_{The minister retains the right to reject transfers on a number of grounds, including security risk or if the person has a “substantial criminal record”.}

_{The minister will decide whether transferees move into detention centres or community detention on arrival in Australia.}

_{The bill specifically states that the transfers will be temporary, and that, once treatment is completed, people will be returned to Manus or Nauru, though it has to be said that this has not happened with earlier transfers.}

_{As at 9}^th _{February, 879 sick people and their families have been transferred to Australia, many of them as a result of intervention by the courts, but more recently, particularly following the Wentworth by election, through the direct action of the government. This has not resulted in any boats arriving in Australian waters from Indonesia. Not one!}

_{So far, more than 400 people have been transferred from Manus and Nauru for resettlement in the US. As with medical transferees, this has not resulted in any “pull factor”.}

_{In recent years, an armada of Australian naval vessels has prevented asylum-seeker boats from entering Australian waters. Some 34 boats, carrying more than 1,000 people, have been turned back or towed back into Indonesian waters.}

_{So, what is all the fuss about? The new legislation simply, and rightly, places responsibility for medical decisions in the hands of those best placed to make them, namely doctors. It should be uncontroversial, given its limited scope. The reality is that it finally opens up some small difference between the Coalition and the Labor party on asylum policy, which clearly will be exploited unmercifully by the government and its friends in the media in the months ahead. But, as many have commented in recent times, it is possible to have secure borders without treating people cruelly. That is surely the message that we have to continue to articulate, until every asylum seeker and refugee is removed from Manus and Nauru, and resettled safely in Australia, the US, New Zealand and any other safe country will to accept them.}

_{It’s better to come by plane!}

_{In recent years, an increasing number of people have arrived in Australia by plane on tourist or other visas, and have sought asylum on arrival. They are mostly from India, Malaysia and China. On arrival, they are issued with bridging visas whilst their claims are processed, and they are allowed to work. Given the huge cuts to staffing in the immigration department, their asylum claims take at least three years to process. Almost all claims are rejected, as the people involved are almost all economic migrants, not refugees. Only 2% of claims have been accepted. Last year alone, 27,000 people arrived in Australia by plane and sought asylum. They typically then work in exploitative conditions in the catering, hospitality and agricultural sectors.}

_{For some reason, these significant numbers don’t seem to be attracting much attention from our politicians or the media.}

_{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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