Showing posts with label Valla Market Stall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valla Market Stall. Show all posts
7.10.20
3.12.19
Bello Nambucca RAR Newsletter 3rd December 2019
Roadside demonstration report
Bush, Beach and Bash report
Valla Beach market stall: Saturday 7th December
Life in Australia for Medevac transferees
Medevac and Senator Lambie
Roadside demonstration report
We
had another successful roadside demonstration next to the Big Banana
last Thursday, with lots of support from passing motorists. Our seven
supporters were joined for a while by two students who had recently
graduated from the Coffs Harbour Senior College. Their interest and
enthusiasm was truly uplifting!
Our
next demonstration, which will be our final one for 2019, will be by
the Pacific Highway in Coffs Harbour, opposite the base hospital, on Thursday 12th December from 2.30 to 4.00 pm.
We hope that many of you will try to get along to support us in
reminding the public about our shameful treatment of asylum seekers and
refugees.
Bush, Beach and Bash report
There
was a great turn out of thirty supporters for our final fundraising
event of the year on Sunday. Half of the group enjoyed a stroll around
the Jagun nature reserve, led by John and Bronwyn who shared with us
their great knowledge of the flora and fauna of the reserve. Somehow, we
didn’t make it the beach! Lunch on the deck followed, and it was clear
that everyone welcomed the opportunity to eat, drink and enjoy one
another’s company until mid-afternoon. We raised an amazing $905 from
donations and the raffle of a bottle of Veuve Cliquot. Together with the
money raised from the recent sale of coins, other donations and sales
at our market stall, it looks as if we will far exceed our 2019
fundraising target of $10,000 for the Asylum Seekers Centre. We will let
you know the total amount for the year in our final newsletter of 2019
on 17th December.
Valla Beach market stall: Saturday 7th December
Our final market stall for 2019 will be at the popular Valla Beach market on Saturday 7th December from 9.00 am until 1.00 pm. We’ll
be collecting signatures on our open letter to the Prime Minister,
handing out information leaflets and selling merchandise to raise funds
for the Asylum Seekers Centre. Please drop by to sign the letter if you
are visiting the market. If you can help out at our stall for an hour or
two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com. New volunteers are always very welcome.
Life in Australia for Medevac transferees
At
this critical point in the government’s efforts to repeal the Medevac
legislation, it is worth remembering that the Coalition has always been
opposed to the transfer of sick refugees to Australia from offshore
detention, and has spent large sums of taxpayers’ money attempting to
block transfers over a number of years through the courts, but to no
avail. The courts have routinely ordered the transfer of sick people,
accompanied by family members, on the grounds that their medical needs –
most often mental health problems – could not be met offshore. Once the
refugees are here, lawyers intervene to prevent their return to the
punishing regime from which they have been transferred. Since the start
of 2016, only about eight people have been returned to offshore
detention, much to Minister Dutton’s chagrin.
But
what is life like in Australia for this group of people? The reality is
that they live in fear of being returned offshore, they have few
rights, and many restrictions on their lives. Most of those transferred
remain in community detention and are subject to curfews, restrictions
on their movements and the requirement to report weekly to the
authorities – much like alleged criminals on bail. It is not surprising
that they are often unable to overcome the sense of worthlessness that
offshore detention instils. Academic and journalist Saba Vasefi
explains: “Poor rehabilitative services and deprivation from civil
engagement are two major components which contribute to refugees’
disempowerment.” People’s fear and uncertainty breeds anxiety and
prolonged illness. One refugee reported: “Two days ago, my sister called
my caseworker and she said: “you might get sent back to Nauru,” and so
then again we get depressed.”
Nicolas
Procter, professor of mental health nursing at the University of South
Australia, has been working with asylum seekers for 25 years and advises
governments on health and suicide prevention programmes for refugees.
He says: “It takes time for people, particularly who have been in some
cases in excruciating distress and despair, to be able to talk about
that, to be able to bring about a calmer sense of self in all of that
experience. That’s one of the real-world issues that this
at-times-fragile and vulnerable group are in need of.” Unsurprisingly,
professor Procter says that removing the threat of being returned to
Nauru or PNG would help patients’ recovery. He adds: “Many people are
dealing with such tremendous amounts of uncertainty that is linked to
excruciating states of distress. If you want to rock somebody’s mental
health, give them a dose of uncertainty and that will do it.”
There
is clearly an urgent need for the government to treat these sick people
with humanity and sensitivity, to manage their medical problems
appropriately and to reassure them that they will not be returned to the
terrible situation on Nauru and in PNG. We need a compassionate, safe,
and permanent solution for these people, so that they can finally have
some sense of security and, with support, rebuild their shattered lives.
Medevac and Senator Lambie
At
the time of writing, we are still in the dark about Senator Lambie’s
voting intention in relation to the government’s bid to repeal the
Medevac legislation. She has stated that she will back the government
provided that it meets her demand for a quid pro quo which she refuses
to disclose as it is a “national security issue.” It has been widely
speculated that she will back the government provided that it agrees to
take up the New Zealand government’s offer to resettle 150 refugees, but
this has neither been confirmed nor denied. Senator Lambie has been
under huge pressure to do the right thing, namely to refuse to support
the repeal of the legislation, from a wide range of organisations and
citizens. It seems that only the Coalition, supported loudly by its
friends in the Murdoch press, is keen to see the Medevac legislation
repealed. Most Australians, according to a recent Guardian poll, back
the legislation in its current form, or believe that it should be more
compassionate. Only 22% of respondents believe that the current
legislation weakens Australia’s borders. But that has not stopped
Senator Mathias Cormann from spouting the usual government nonsense,
stating on Monday: “Each individual senator has to make a decision:
whether they stand on the side of stronger national security or weaker
national security.”
It
is very likely that the repeal bill will be tabled in the Senate this
week. We can only hope, for the sake of the sick refugees, that the
government suffers another defeat.
It includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.
This newsletter is sent to >670 recipients
Our Face book is at https://www.facebook.com/
(579 likes)
Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam
9.10.19
Bellingen Nambucca RAR Newsletter Tuesday October 8
Roadside demonstration report
Valla Beach market report
The government response to our recent open letter
The “Biloela” family: the UN speaks out
Australia’s refugee policies: a view from the US
Roadside demonstration report
We
had another good turnout of supporters for last week’s roadside
demonstration next to the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. Two members of
our group calculated that, during the one and a half hours of our vigil,
at least 4500 vehicles passed us as they travelled north. That’s a lot
of people receiving, and perhaps reflecting on, our message to end
offshore detention and to treat refugees with humanity and compassion.
Our next demonstration will take place on Thursday 17th October from 2.30 to 4.00 pm by the Pacific Highway, opposite the base hospital in Coffs Harbour. Please come and join us if you can.
Valla Beach market report
A
big thank you to all our supporters who turned out to help at our
market stall on Saturday. It was a rather cool, windy and overcast
morning, but there were nonetheless plenty of visitors milling about,
given that it was both school holidays and the hotrodders festival.
Our next stall will be at the Bellingen market on Saturday 16th November. Please put the date in your diaries and come along to sign our open letter.
The government response to our recent open letter
In
recent days we finally received a response from the Department of Home
Affairs to our open letter to the Prime MInister about the New Zealand
offer to accept refugees from Manus and Nauru. You will recall that the
letter was signed by 1520 people. As usual, the Department of Home
Affairs seeks to paint a picture of a government that is doing all the
right things in relation to the treatment of refugees and in protecting
our borders. Just as in many earlier letters, the DHA asserts that the
responsibility for the refugees and asylum seekers in PNG and Nauru lies
with the respective governments, when the reality is, of course, that
they are the responsibility of the Australian government, which funds
and overseas the whole enterprise. You can read the letter on our Facebook page and on our blog.
You
will be aware that the Tamil family from Biloela in Queensland are
currently being held in detention on Christmas island. They have now
been held in locked detention since May 2018. They have been told that
the review of the asylum claim for their youngest child Tharnicaa will
take many months and that in the meantime they will remain in the
detention centre, where they are living in complete isolation and
surrounded by guards. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has, in
recent days, written to the Australian government asking it to end the
“existing situation of detention” for the family, and requested that
they be moved “into a community setting arrangement.”
Australia is a
signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
but the UN cannot force the government to comply with the request. Any
positive action on the part of the government is therefore, sadly,
unlikely. Earlier, Minister Dutton, in spite of the evidence to the
contrary, asserted that the family was living in the community on
Christmas island. A friend of the family, Angela Fredericks, who has
advocated tirelessly for them, had this to say: “The government say they
are committed to upholding the rule of law both internationally and
domestically, so therefore we would expect them to comply with this
measure as this basically is a directive coming from the international
community.”
If
you would like to protest about the ongoing mistreatment of the family,
then please phone Minister Dutton’s office on : 02 6277 7860 or email: Peter.Dutton.MP@aph.gov.au.
Australia’s refugee policies: a view from the US
The
Harvard Political Review published a most interesting article last week
on Australia’s refugee policies. The author reminds us that Australia
is a party to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, its Protocol, and multiple
other human rights treaties. Australia also has a seat on the UN Human
Rights Council, and is one of five countries making up the UN Working
Group on Arbitrary Detention. In spite of this, Australia has turned
back boats to countries where their passengers might face harm, such as
Sri Lanka and Vietnam, where asylum seekers have been arrested,
interrogated, tortured and jailed. Unsurprisingly, our government’s
policies have been widely condemned by UN agencies and other
international groups. In addition, Australia’s policy of holding
refugees in indefinite detention breaks international human right law,
taints its international standing, and undermines its credibility when
denouncing other nations for the same crimes. As one contributor puts
it: “From a UNHCR perspective, it was always very unfortunate that
Australia was not setting the example that the organisation hoped it
would set in that region, be a leader for promoting refugee protection
and respect for refugee principles.”
It includes articles from many sources and letters to politicians and newspapers.
Our Face book is at https://www.facebook.com/
(579 likes)
Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam
7.10.19
Our Valla Market Stall
Where we collected many more signatures from concerned Australians with our new open letter to the Australian Prime Minister...
Come and have a chat with our RAR stall staff when next you see us.
Come and have a chat with our RAR stall staff when next you see us.
2.10.19
Bello Nambucca RAR Newsletter 1st October 2019
Roadside demonstration: Thursday 3rd October, Coffs Harbour
Our next roadside demonstration will take place on Thursday 3rd October from 2.30 to 4.00 pm by the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. Please
come and join us if you can, as these demonstrations are a great way to
remind the public that the cruel policy of offshore detention
continues, and with no end in sight for the hundreds of refugees held
against their will for more than six years on Nauru and in PNG. We have
lots of banners and placards to share, and we would love to welcome some
new volunteers to our activities.
Valla Beach market: Saturday 5th October
A reminder that our next market stall will be at the Valla Beach Market on Saturday 5th October from 9.00 am until 1.00 pm. As usual, we will be engaging
with market-goers, collecting signatures on our new open letter to the
Prime Minister and selling merchandise to raise funds for the Asylum
Seekers Centre (ASC). If you can help out for and hour or two at the
market, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.
Thank you letter from the ASC
Last
week, following our most recent donation of $500 to the Asylum Seekers
Centre, we received this thank you letter from Frances Rush, the CEO. “Thank
you very much to the Bellingen and Nambucca District RAR for raising an
amazing $500. Your ongoing efforts and support for the ASC is really
appreciated.
ASC currently provides practical and personal support for over 4,000 people from 95 countries, many of whom are children.
With
your support, we are able to address their 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’s letter underlines the importance of our fundraising efforts,
which so far this year have enabled us to donate $9,200 to the ASC.
National RAR campaign to revive the NZ offer
We
wrote two weeks ago about the national campaign to persuade our
government to accept New Zealand’s generous offer to accept 150 refugees
annually from Nauru and PNG. Many of you will have contacted some or
all of the Senators on the list provided. If you received any responses,
please let us know by emailing us at: bellingen.rar@gmail.com
National
RAR committee are now requesting that, if you have not received any
response, then would you please consider a follow-up email to the people
listed below, reminding them of your earlier email, and stressing the
importance of them responding to your original questions.
MP: Pat Conaghan: Pat.Conaghan.MP@aph.gov.au
Coalition Senators in NSW:
In
addition, National RAR tells us that the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese
will be travelling to New Zealand shortly. It would be really helpful
if we could send him lots of emails, or phone his office, to urge him to
raise the matter with Jacinda Adern and to ask her to reissue her
government’s offer to the Australian and PNG governments to resettle
refugees in New Zealand.
In case you missed the previous email the request to the local member was to be simply:
“Dear……
I have two questions for you, and I would appreciate your response as soon as possible.
1. What would it take to get the refugees currently in PNG to New Zealand?
2. What is the government’s plan for refugees and asylum seekers in PNG who do not go to the United States?
Yours sincerely……”
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Twitter Account @RARBellingenNam
5.8.19
RAR at the Valla Markets
Another sunny Coffs Coast Day with our Rural Australians for Refugees stall finding lots of support from fellow Australians at the Valla Markets.
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