Letter to Bellingen Courier Sun published 18 October 2017

_From: Mike

_{Sent: Sunday, October 8, 2017 12:04 PM}

_{To: editor.couriersun@fairfaxmedia.com.au}

_{Subject: Letter to the Editor}

_{Mark Swales’ letter (“refugees incompatible” 4.10.17), repeats a number of common distortions, untruths and defamatory statements about refugees.}

_{Of course, we expect the government of the day to take the necessary steps to protect its citizens from danger, from whatever quarter that might come. Mr Swales might be interested to know that, in 2015, 195 people died as a result of workplace accidents, 1,209 people died on our roads, 80 women were killed in domestic violence incidents and 1 person died as a result of a terrorist attack. Each and every one of these deaths was a tragedy for those involved, for their families and their loved ones.}

_{The myth about immigrants not integrating into Australian society has been around for decades. The Italians, the Greeks, the Vietnamese, the Chinese, and then the Indians were all deemed by sections of  the white Australian community to be unable and unwilling to integrate. The reality is that, over time, these immigrants have demonstrated their ability to integrate and to contribute to Australian society, and our country is much the richer for their involvement. The more recent arrivals  from African countries, from Myanmar  and the Middle East will be no different, given time, empathy and support.}

_{The refugees on Manus and Nauru have fled violence and persecution in their own countries and have sought asylum in Australia, as is their right under the Refugee Convention. They have suffered enormously for the past four years at the hands of the Australian government. They are seeking a hand up, not a handout. They are human beings – men, women and children, just like us. They both deserve, and have the right, to be treated with dignity and respect.   To label them as “pests” and “parasites” is utterly disgraceful.}

_{Mike Griffin} 

Valla Beach NSW 2448

Phone Call to Prime Minister's Office - A great and immediate initiative from Georgette following the appeal in today’s newsletter”.

_{A great and immediate initiative from Georgette following the appeal in today’s newsletter”.}

_{I just phoned the PM’s parliamentary office, and received a very positive response from his PA.  I focussed on the parochial nature of the general populations of PNG, and how they will probably have very little understanding of world affairs and politics.  I mentioned that I have lived in PNG, and understand their fear of ‘strangers’ – that’s why they had 700 different languages on that moderately sized island!} 

_{I pointed out that there is no humane and viable solution other than bringing the refugees here to safety to Australia, the most multi-cultural society on Earth – where we have learned to absorb and benefit from cultural ‘differences’.}

_{I mentioned the cost to Australia taxpayers, over the years of detention offshore.  I said we could spend our resources far more effectively by bringing those refugees here.  The woman listened, responded, and undertook to definitely pass on my message to the PM, and thanked me for taking the trouble to call. I think a phone call can register more effectively than an email, for those who have the time (and unlimited STD calls on their plan!)} 

_Cheers, 

_Georgette

Newsletter for 10 October 2017 Rural Australians for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

_{Next Roadside Demo - Bellingen Thursday October 26th 2:30pm}

_{Next Market Stall -Coffs Harbourside 22nd October}

_{Manus detainees to be sent to Nauru}

_{Good news from RACS}

_{Upcoming roadside demonstrations.}

_{We had to call off last week’s roadside demonstration in Coffs Harbour last Thursday owing to the wet weather. Our remaining demos for 2017 are as follows:}

_{Thursday 26th October :  Waterfall Way, Bellingen}

_{Thursday 9th November : Coffs Harbour , opposite the Base hospital}

_{Thursday 23rd November : Hogbin Drive, Toormina}

_{Thursday 7th December : Coffs Harbour, Big Banana}

_{We’ll then take a break until Thursday 11th January 2018.}

_{All the demonstrations start at 2.30 pm and end at 4.00 pm. Please make a note in your diary to come and join us.}

_{Our next Market stall: Coffs Harbourside market: Sunday 22nd October}

_{Our next market stall will be this coming Sunday at the popular Coffs Harbourside market, located at its temporary home adjacent to the Park Beach surf club, near the mouth of Coffs Creek. We have our new petition to sign, leaflets to hand out and our asylum seeker merchandise to sell. If you can help out on the stall between 9.00 am and 1.30 pm, we would love to see you. Please let Mike know by emailing him at :mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com. It’s a great opportunity to chat with other RAR supporters and to engage with market goers about the government’s cruel asylum policies.}

_{The government wants to transfer Manus detainees to Nauru}

_{The 700 men on Manus island who have been assessed as genuine refugees have been told in recent days that they can opt to transfer to Nauru, rather than to the Lorengau “transit” centre, as the deadline for the closure of the detention centre approaches. The refugees have consistently pleaded that the Lorengau facilities are unsafe for them. There have been many attacks on the refugees by the locals, who resent their presence on the island. But transferring these men from one island prison to another is no solution.  Detention Advocacy Manager Natasha Blucher explains: “Dragging these men from one dangerous camp to another is not a solution. There is no space to accommodate these men on Nauru except in mouldy tents.The government needs to listen to what has been said by lawyers, the UN, and international organisations for years. They must bring every single person on Manus and Nauru to Australia immediately. People who have been found to be refugees should safely await their protection and resettlement outcomes in Australia.”}

_{Please consider contacting the Prime Minister to demand that the refugees on Manus and Nauru are brought to Australia. You can do so by telephone: 02 9327 3988 (Malcolm Turnbull’s office) or 02 6277 7700(Malcolm Turnbull’s Parliament House office) ; by email at: https://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm.  ; or you can write to him at:}

_{The Hon Malcolm Turnbull.}

_{Prime Minister}

_{Parliament House}

_{Canberra  ACT 2600}

_{Some good news from RACS}

_{Last week the Refugee Advice and Casework  Service,  which we have supported financially in the past, announced the appointment of two eminent legal figures as patrons of the organisation. They are Professor Gillian Triggs, who as the Australian Human Rights Commissioner worked tirelessly  to report objectively and fearlessly on the government’s treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, and the former High Court judge Michael Kirby, who has a distinguished record in defending the vulnerable in our communities.  At a fundraising event last week, Mr Kirby took aim at both the major parties’ roles in creating the response to irregular boat arrivals and said that 2015 marked a time when “we, a good nation, turned our back on many refugees and outsourced their handling. It’s a story from Kafka, and it makes your blood go cold”. Professor Triggs commented: “How did we do this to people who came to ask us for protection and support?”}

_{We are delighted that two  major heavyweights have joined the campaign to put an end to the government’s shameful asylum policies.}

_{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 >500 recipients}

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

_{(482 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}

Letter to Peter Dutton

Newsletter for 10 October 2017 Rural Australlans for Refugees Bellingen and Nambucca Districts

Next Market Stall -Coffs Harbourside 22nd October

A good news story

What others say about offshore detention

Next Roadside Demo - Coffs Hospital Thursday October 12th 2:30pm

Valla Beach market report

The overcast skies seemed to affect the number of market goers at Saturday’s market, but we still had quite a busy time. Our numbers too were restricted, given that several of our usual helpers were otherwise engaged at the Stop Adani protest in Coffs Harbour! We had lots of positive engagement with people and we successfully launched our new petition, the details of which were published in last week’s newsletter.

Our next market will be the Coffs Harbourside market on Sunday  22nd October from 9.00 am until 1.30 pm. If you can help out for an hour or two, then please let Mike know by emailing him at: mandm.griffin2@bigpond.com.  It would be great to welcome some new supporters to the team.

A good news story to report

Last week a small group of us, all members from our RAR group, hosted an Iranian family of parents and two sons, 13 and 9.  Their trip was funded by some of the money raised by our fundraising meals  and auctions held at two members’ homes earlier in the year.

We had a wonderful time. The family was delightful. They were so excited to be with us and participated enthusiastically in all our activities. Their days started early with Georgina and Margaret collecting them from Gillian and Alberto’s house at 7 30 am. Then off to Mylestom to walk the beach, swim in the tidal pool or fish off the pool walkway. The boys raced on the beach with Pablo the fox terrier - and lost!

After breakfast on Day One we walked in the rain forest at Dorrigo, had an Aussie BBQ  then ice-cream at Bellingen. On Day Two father and sons spent the day with Mike and Marlene, Peter and Lotus at the latters’ property at Valla and later on the beach. The women folk wandered around Bellingen or helped Lisa prepare an Iranian feast. Our guests enjoyed the meal and gave Lisa the thumbs-up.

On Day Three a group of friends joined us for a BBQ at Mylestom. Some young boys of similar ages to our guests taught the finer points of fishing and kicked the soccer ball around.   

All the meals were special - Alberto’s paella, Georgina’s Sri Lankan curry feast, Lisa's Iranian meal, Lotus's pizza, Alberto’s kebabs. I think we all gained weight this week!

We were all sad when they left on Saturday but we know that we have made close friends with this very special family who left Iran because of a serious threat to the father’s safety. We learnt of the challenges they have had to face and our hearts have gone out to this brave and deserving family who are still awaiting the outcome of their application for refugee status.

If you want to know more about this small sub-group called Home Among the Gumtrees that organises and fundraises for similar visits in the future please email me, Margaret, at: giorgiemargie@gmail.com.

What others say about our government’s offshore detention regime

Whilst Prime Minister Turnbull and Minister Dutton continue to boast about the effectiveness of our offshore detention regime, insisting that our refugee policies are “the envy of the world”, others paint a much more sobering and accurate picture. Just last week, former Canadian PM Joe Clark described our offshore regime as  “horrendous”. The Global Centre for Pluralism went further, slamming what it described as “inhumane policies” and “toxic rhetoric” which are “a threat to inclusive societies”. This criticism is not new, and the UN has repeatedly condemned the Australian government’s refugee policies, labelling the offshore detention regime as “a destructive and dangerous precedent”.

People fleeing danger deserve safety, and to get it, they have to go somewhere. If every country in the world adopted Australia’s single-minded focus on deterrence, then persecuted people would be left with nowhere to flee.

A few refugees have now found safety in the US, but there are still up to 2,000 people being warehoused by our government in offshore camps. 1,783 of them are proven refugees. 169 of them are children. They continue to suffer and to be mistreated. They should be brought to Australia immediately for resettlement. Please keep up thepressure and continue to write to the government and to the Opposition to demand that these refugees are brought here. Email Minister Dutton at: minister@border.gov.au.  and Shayne Neumann, the Labor Shadow Minister at: shayne.neumann.MP@aph.gov.au. 

Next roadside demonstration: Thursday 12th October, Coffs Harbour, 2.30 until 4.00 pm

Our next roadside demonstration is on Thursday of this week in Coffs Harbour. You will find us by the Pacific Highway, opposite the Base hospital, from 2.30 pm until 4.00 pm. We have lots of banners and placards to share, so why not come and join us to show your solidarity with  all Australia’s refugees, both in Australia and in offshore detention. They need to know that there are many Australians who support them and who will continue to advocate for their freedom.

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 >500 recipients

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

(482 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