Newsletter for 14 May 2019 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Report on our Jetty Foreshores Rally}

_{Where do the parties and candidates stand?}

_{Funding our recent advert}

_{Letter from the CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre}

_{General meeting and lunch: Sunday 26}^th _{May at 11.30 am}

_{Report on our Jetty Foreshores Rally}

_{A pretty good turnout of just under thirty people at our rally on Saturday in Coffs Harbour. Our key message was “Vote Compassion”, and we had a special banner and lots of new placards to get our message across to people as the election approaches. You can see some of these on our Facebook page. We had a number of speakers, together with readings of letters that our supporters have had published in the local press in recent months. Mike did an interview with the ABC which went to air on the local radio yesterday, and reports have been sent to the local newspapers. All agreed that the event had been very worthwhile. A big thank you to all who attended.}

_{Where do the parties and candidates stand?}

_{You will recall that, a few weeks ago, we published a range of questions which we sent to candidates in the Cowper election, in the hope that we might get some detailed responses. In addition, many of us attended the candidates forum in Bellingen last week. Add to that the lengthy document “I Choose Humane”, which we posted some time ago, we have a good picture of where the parties and candidates stand on the question of offshore detention.}

_{In relation to the questions sent to the candidates, we received two brief responses, which did not address our questions. Andrew Woodward, the Labor candidate, directed us to the Party’s policy document, which can be found at:https://www.alp.org.au/asylumseekers.} 

_{We also received a two-sentence response from Alexander Stewart, the United Australia Party.}

_{The very clear position of both the National Party and the Labor Party is that the current policies in relation to offshore detention will continue.} 

_{Both parties frame their policies around ending the people smuggler trade, preventing drownings at sea, and keeping our borders secure. To that end, offshore (indefinite) detention will continue, boats will be prevented from entering Australian waters, and no asylum seekers or refugees currently held offshore will be allowed to resettle in Australia.} 

_{Both parties ignore the fact that the naval armada to our north has turned back 33 boats carrying more than 800 asylum seekers since Operation Sovereign Borders began operations. Not a single boat has arrived on our shores from Indonesia in the past four years. No lives have been lost at sea.} 

_{The people smugglers have been thwarted. There is therefore no humanitarian or security rationale for the continuation of a cruel, inhumane and unlawful policy which has destroyed so many lives in recent years. The only conclusion to be drawn is that the policy of the main parties in relation to offshore detention is purely political.} 

_{Each party strives to convince us that they are tougher than the other. The refugees and asylum seekers are seemingly the collateral damage that they are willing to pay in order to maintain or win power. Power trumps principle every time, sadly.}

_{The Greens have a long-established and well- documented policy to end offshore detention on Manus and Nauru, to close the centres permanently, to bring the remaining people from the islands to Australia for resettlement here or in other safe countries, and to end the policy of boat turnbacks. Their policy was articulated by the Greens candidate, Lauren Edwards, at the Bellingen forum.}

_{Also, at the recent forum in Bellingen, Rob Oakeshott, the Independent candidate, made clear his opposition to the cruel policy of offshore detention and committed to seeking an end to it if elected, and to evacuating people from Manus and Nauru.}

_{The Animal Justice Party candidate, Kellie Pearce, expressed similar views.}

_{So, if you want to “Vote Compassion” you do have some choices.}

_{Funding our recent advert}

_{A huge thank you to our generous supporters who donated to help fund our half-page advert in the Coffs Coast Advocate. Amazingly, the donations exactly matched the invoice of $975!} 

_{We have received positive feedback about the advert, which has been widely shared. Let us hope that it has helped people to think about the plight of refugees and asylum seekers.}

_{Letter from the CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre}

_{“Thank you very much to the Bellingen and Nambucca District RAR for raising an amazing $3,700 at your recent lunch and auction. Your ongoing efforts and support for the Asylum Seekers Centre is really appreciated.}

_{ASC currently provides practical and personal support for over 3,900 people from over 90 countries. 25% are children aged 0-17 years.}

_{With your support, we are able to address people’s immediate needs by offering a range of services under one roof, including health care, legal advice, emergency housing, financial relief, food, social support, and employment.} 

_{With the right support at crucial times, women, men and children can improve their health and wellbeing, regain independence and find community connections.}

_{Once again, thank you.”}

_{Frances Rush, Chief Executive Officer OAM}

_{General meeting and lunch: Sunday 26}^th _{May at 11.30 am}

_{A reminder that, following the federal election, we are organising an important meeting to review our work and to plan our future strategy. We don’t meet very often, so these occasional meetings are important in ensuring that all supporters have the opportunity to discuss and help shape our future activities.} 

_{The meeting will start at 11.30 am and last about an hour, followed by lunch on the deck to enable us to socialize, enjoy one another’s company and meet new people.} 

_{We do encourage all of you to put the date in your diaries and make a commitment to joining us.}

_{The event will be held at 39, Rogers Drive, Valla Beach. If you are able to come along, then please let Mike know by emailing him at:mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com, or phone him on: 6569 5419.}

_{Please bring a plate to share. Drinks will be provided.}

_{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 >620 recipients}

_{Our Face book is at https://www.facebook.com/Rural-Australians-for-Refugees-Bellingen-and-Nambucca-Districts-269696303205083/timeline/}

_{(579 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}

Newsletter for 7 May 2019 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{Meet the Candidates Forum: Tuesday 7}^th _{May from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm}

_{Rally for refugees and asylum seekers: Saturday 11}^th _September

_{Our open letter to Minister Dutton}

_{Letters to the local press}

_{Did you see our advert in the Coffs Coast Advocate?}

_{An important date for your diary: Sunday 26}^th _{May, 11.30 am}

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{A great turn out for our demonstration on Friday in Coffs Harbour, with twelve supporters waving banners and placards, attracting lots of positive support from passing motorists. A big thank you to all who participated.}

_{Meet the Candidates Forum: Tuesday 7}^th _{May from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm}

_{A reminder that the Meet the Candidates Forum takes place this evening in the Memorial Hall on Hyde Street in Bellingen. We will have the opportunity to raise questions about the candidates’ and parties’ policies on asylum policy. Please come along to join in the discussion and to help us get our message across about the current bipartisan approach to the despicable policy of indefinite offshore detention, and the very poor treatment of asylum seekers in Australia as they wait for years to have their claims for protection finalised. This is our one and only opportunity to engage with the candidates before the election on 18}^th _{May. Let’s make our voices heard!} 

_{Rally for refugees and asylum seekers: Saturday 11}^th _September

_{We are planning our final activity in advance of the federal election, and we hope that many of you will join us for at least some of the time.}

_{Where? The Jetty Foreshores in Coffs Harbour, adjacent to the jetty.}

_{When? Saturday 11}^th _{May, from 11.00 am until 12.30 pm}

_{Why? To engage with passersby and to send a clear message to the candidates in the federal election that it is time to end offshore detention without delay. The 930 adults who remain indefinitely on Manus and Nauru, and who have been languishing there for more than five years, have surely suffered enough. People have died, many have self-harmed, and most of them are suffering from significant mental health issues. All of this as a result of our government’s cruel policy of indefinite detention, deliberately designed to drive people to despair and to break their spirits. It is surely time to show some compassion, and to demonstrate that everyday Australians are better than this.}

_{We have lots of banners and placards to share, but you may of course want to bring your own. Please encourage your family and friends to join us. Let’s make this a big show of solidarity with Australia’s refugees and asylum seekers.} 

_{Please make a big effort to join us if you can.}

_{Our open letter to Minister Dutton}

_{In recent days we finally sent off our open letter to Minister Dutton, calling for an end to offshore detention and appealing to him to finally show some compassion towards refugees. Some 775 people signed the letter at our market stalls and at events run by a number of other RAR groups. You can find the accompanying letter to Minister Dutton on our blog, the details of which you will find at the bottom of the newsletter. Maybe we won’t have to correspond with him for too much longer!}

_{Letters to the local press}

_{A number of our supporters write regularly to the local press to encourage people to consider the plight of refugees and asylum seekers, and it’s really encouraging to see that their letters are regularly published in the Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads and Bellingen papers. Our practice is to publish the letters on our blog, but a letter from one of our supporters, which will hopefully appear in the press in the days ahead, deserves to be read by you all in the newsletter. You will not fail to be moved by it.}

_{“I am part of a group who advocates for refugees in the Bellingen, Coffs and Nambucca area. You may have seen us standing by the side of the road with our signs supporting refugees.}

 _{Occasionally passersby call out “Send them Home.”  So, I have decided to tell you about a certain family of four who are my friends in Sydney who can’t go home to their Middle Eastern country which they left in a hurry in fear of their lives.} 

 _{They were in the last boatload of asylum seekers to land on Christmas Island before the government decided to send all boat people to offshore detention.  After six turbulent years of learning a new language, dealing with the trauma of their lives, missing their extended family members left behind and looking for jobs, they are living in Sydney.}

 _{They receive no money from the Government. The sons are settled at school, the father, a former school principal, is working and studying as a tradesman and the mother, a B.Sc. graduate, is working in Aged Care and continuing her studies.}

 _{They love Australia, they love their work and each month they donate money from their minimal wages to St Vinnies because, as the mother explained to me:}

 _{“When we were dependent on money from the Government, we made a pact with each other that when we had jobs we would give back to Australia.”}

 _{It is people like these, who are still waiting for a permanent visa, that some politicians and passersby want to “send home.” I want people like these to be my neighbours.}

 _{Vote for compassion.”}

 _{Margaret Henley}

_{Did you see our advert in the Coffs Coast Advocate?}

_{On Saturday 4}^th _{May our half-page advert appeared in the Coffs Coast Advocate. We do hope that you saw it and had the time to read it. If not, you can access it on our blog by clicking on the link at the end of this newsletter. The advert sets out clearly our position and our concerns about government policy, and appeals to voters to consider the terrible plight of asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus when casting their votes in the federal election.}

_{The advert cost just under $975, and we are deeply grateful for the magnificent response from our supporters. But we are not quite there yet. If you could consider making a donation, no matter how small towards the cost of the advert, that would be greatly appreciated.}

_{Our BCU bank details for making a payment online are:}

_{Account name: Bellingen and Nambucca RAR}

_{BSB: 533000}

_{Account number: 238205}

_{If you are transferring funds from a BCU account, then the account number is 238205S44}

_{Please mark your donation as “advert”}

_{An important date for your diary: Sunday 26}^th _{May, 11.30 am}

_{Whatever the outcome of the federal election, we know, sadly, that our work will not be over. The Labor Party, in its election material, makes clear that it is just as committed to maintaining offshore detention, and to refusing to allow the detainees on Manus and Nauru to resettle in Australia, as the Coalition. It has, though, pledged to take up the New Zealand government’s offer to resettle 150 refugees from Nauru and Manus, which we welcome.} 

_{Once the election is over, our group needs to meet to consider the outcome, to review our strategy and to decide our priorities for the year ahead. To that end, we would like to hold a meeting, to which everyone is invited, on Sunday 26}^th _{May, starting at 11.30 am and followed by a social lunch from 12.30 pm.}

_{Venue: 39, Rogers Drive, Valla Beach.}

_{This will be an important meeting, and we hope that many of you will come along to help us shape our actions and priorities for the year ahead. The lunch will be a great opportunity to relax with friends, to meet new people and to share our commitment to the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees}

_{Please put the date in your diary. Further details in next week’s newsletter.}

_{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 >620 recipients}

_{Our Face book is at https://www.facebook.com/Rural-Australians-for-Refugees-Bellingen-and-Nambucca-Districts-269696303205083/timeline/}

_{(579 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}