Newsletter for 23 April 2019 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{Coffs Harbourside market report}

_{Our federal election strategy}

_{Donation to the Asylum Seekers Centre}

_{Roadside demonstration report}

_{We had a great turnout of twelve supporters for our demonstration last Thursday. Our three large banners and lots of placards made a huge splash and attracted overwhelming support from passing motorists. We all agreed that the demonstration was a great success, and we did wonder what our parliamentary candidates would have made of it all if they had been present, given that some of them continue to insist that maintaining a hard line on offshore detention is a vote winner.} 

_{Considering that the average age of our group of 12 was at least 70, and that one of our supporters was celebrating her 85}^th _{birthday, we were a bit miffed when a passing ute driver shouted that we should “get a job”!}

_{Coffs Harbourside market report}

_{The sun finally shone for us at the Harbourside market on Sunday, and we had a very busy time talking to lots of market-goers, who turned up in large numbers. We sold merchandise, collected 120 signatures on our open letter to Minister Dutton, and received generous donations for the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown. Our conclusion, as the federal election approaches, is that people are increasingly aware of, and deeply unhappy about, the reality and cruelty of offshore detention. The policy is seen as both unnecessary and indefensible, and should end immediately. As one market-goer put it: “This is our Guantanamo Bay. These people are political prisoners.”}

_{A big thank you to our great RAR team for their hard work, and to Kim and her market crew for their support.}

_{We will not be at the Bellingen market on 18}^th _{May, as it is election day. Our next market stall will be at the Valla Beach market on Saturday 1}^st _{June from 9.00 am until 1.00 pm.} 

_{Our federal election strategy}

_{A group of us met recently to discuss how to maximise the opportunity presented by the election to bring our campaign for the humane treatment of asylum seekers and refugees to the attention of both the public and the candidates. So far, we have come up with the following:}

• _{We have sent the attached questions to the federal candidates, and asked them to respond in a timely manner, so that we can publish their responses before the election.}
• _{We will hold one-hour vigils, with our banners and placards, outside the offices of those candidates who have an office on three Fridays before the election from 11.00 am until midday. The first of the vigils will be this Friday, 26}^th _{April outside the office of the Nationals candidate, Patrick Conaghan in Coffs Harbour. The office is located at 75, Grafton Street (the Pacific Highway), opposite Jax Tyres, between Park Avenue and Harbour Drive. Please join us if you can. We’ll have lots of banners and placards to share.}

_{The venues for Friday 3}^rd _{and Friday 10}^th _{May will be published in next week’s newsletter.} 

•  _{We will encourage our RAR supporters to attend the various candidates’ forums and to ask questions about refugee and asylum policy. So far, we have information about two forums. The first one is hosted by the Coffs Coast Climate Action Group and will take place on Tuesday 30}^th _{April from 7.00 pm - 9.00 pm at C Ex Coffs, which is located at 2-6, Vernon Street, Coffs Harbour. The second one is hosted by the Bellingen Chamber of Commerce, and will take place on Tuesday 7}^th _{May from 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm at the Bellingen Memorial Hall, which is located at 35, Hyde Street, Bellingen.} 
• _{Please try to get along to one of the forums if you can.} 

_{We are investigating the possibility of taking out a half-page advertisement in the Coffs Advocate to promote our RAR objectives and to encourage people to consider the plight of refugees and asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru, and in our communities, as the election approaches. It will be quite expensive, and we can only do it if enough of our RAR supporters back the idea and help to fund it. We already have some pledges of support. Please let us know what you think by emailing Mike at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{We are also considering the idea of turning up with our banners and placards at the candidates’ forums, so that people will be aware of our campaign as they arrive for the meetings. Please let us know if you think that this is a good idea.}

_{Finally, if you have any suggestions for further actions during the election campaign, please get in touch with us.}

_{Donation to the Asylum Seekers Centre}

_{There were a few late additions to the money raised at our recent fundraising lunch and auction. As a result, we have been able to send $3,700 to the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown to help them in their vital work, supporting asylum seekers in and around Sydney.}

_{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 16 April 2019 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Roadside demonstration: Thursday 18}^th _{April, 2.30 to 4.00 pm}

_{Our next market stall: Sunday 21}^st _{April at Coffs Harbourside market}

_{Supporting the Sanctuary Australia Foundation}

_{Refugee and asylum policy: where the political parties stand}

_{Coalition plans further cuts to asylum seeker support}

_{Roadside demonstration: Thursday 18}^th _{April, 2.30 to 4.00 pm}

_{A reminder that our next roadside demonstration is scheduled for this Thursday in Coffs Harbour, by the Pacific Highway, opposite the base hospital, from 2.30 to 4.00 pm. Please come and join us if you can. As the federal election approaches, it is really important that we continue to campaign hard on the issue of the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers. We have lots of banners and placards to share and we would so much welcome some new faces to join our regular band of committed supporters.}

_{Our next market stall: Sunday 21}^st _{April at Coffs Harbourside market}

_{Our two previous attempts to set up our stall at the Coffs Harbourside market were thwarted by the rain, so we are hopeful that this time the sun will shine and that people will turn up in large numbers. We will be collecting final signatures on our open letter to Minister Dutton, handing out leaflets and talking to market goers about the upcoming election and the position of the various political parties and candidates. It will be a great opportunity to engage with people about the need to consider hope and compassion rather than fear and distrust when we cast our votes. If you can join us at our stall for an hour or two between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.}

_{Supporting the Sanctuary Australia Foundation}

_{A couple of weeks ago, we published a request from the Sanctuary Australia Foundation (SAF) for volunteers to assist with reading activities for Yazidi children in Coffs Harbour. Fiona McAulay, the Home Reading Coordinator for SAF, wrote to us recently to say: “A big thank you to RAR on behalf of SAF. Following the publication of our article in your recent newsletter, we gained two fantastic new volunteers for our home reading program for primary school children of the Yazidi community in Coffs Harbour. Keep up the important work, RAR.”}

_{If you missed the item in our newsletter and you would like to learn more about this important program, then please contact Fiona at: fiona.mcaulay@det.nsw.edu.au. or phone her on: 0429 033814.}

_{Refugee and asylum policy: where the political parties stand}

_{The Refugee Council of Australia has produced an excellent, detailed analysis of the stated positions of the main parties on refugee and asylum issues. The RCA is promoting “I Choose Humane” for its election campaign, and it is an excellent source of information. To read the analysis of the main parties’ positions on asylum and refugees, then go to: www.choosehumane.org.au, then scroll down and click on “show me how the major parties stack up”, and finally “click here for a PDF of this analysis”. It is well worth having a look at.}

_{Coalition plans further cuts to asylum seeker support}

_{In the recent budget papers, the government outlined further cuts to support for asylum seekers. It plans, if elected, to drastically reduce funding for payments to people seeking asylum under the Status Resolution Support Service (SRSS). The SRSS programme provides a vital, though inadequate lifeline for people awaiting an outcome on their asylum application, and the planned cuts will force people even further into destitution. Funding for asylum seeker support within the Department of Human Services shows that the programme will be reduced by more than 60% in just two years, from the $139.8 million spent in 2017-18 to just $52.6 million in 2019-20. At the same time, many people are still awaiting a final outcome on their application through the so-called “fast track” process for almost five years and the number of people who have arrived by plane on temporary visas and sought asylum in Australia has increased substantially.} 

_{Will the candidates in the upcoming election support these draconian cuts? Perhaps we should ask them.}

_{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}