News
Letter to Canberra Times
The following letter, written by RARQ President, Gerry Gillespie, was published in the Canberra Times on 24 January 2023:
It is regrettable that our unlawful and disgraceful treatment of refugees has outlived Jim Molan who came up with the policy of returning boat people to the country from which they sailed. Refugees are people who legally come to our shores to look for safety and we treat them as criminals.
Our national attitude to asylum seekers is an appalling reflection on Australia’s international reputation and our contempt for the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. The fact that the Albanese Labor Government has still not moved on its promises in regard to refugees and visa holders, demonstrates that the racist paranoia of the Dutton/Morrison era is still firmly entrenched in the Department of Home Affairs. We pay millions of dollars to security firms to destroy the minds and faculties of people whose only crime was to ask for help. On one hand we have a labour crisis in the bush and on the other we have 60,000 people capable of work - where is our imagination?
It is regrettable that our unlawful and disgraceful treatment of refugees has outlived Jim Molan who came up with the policy of returning boat people to the country from which they sailed. Refugees are people who legally come to our shores to look for safety and we treat them as criminals.
Our national attitude to asylum seekers is an appalling reflection on Australia’s international reputation and our contempt for the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention. The fact that the Albanese Labor Government has still not moved on its promises in regard to refugees and visa holders, demonstrates that the racist paranoia of the Dutton/Morrison era is still firmly entrenched in the Department of Home Affairs. We pay millions of dollars to security firms to destroy the minds and faculties of people whose only crime was to ask for help. On one hand we have a labour crisis in the bush and on the other we have 60,000 people capable of work - where is our imagination?
Update on RARQ meetings
The next meeting will be held from
3pm to 5pm on Saturday 18 February 2023, at Carolyn & Gerry's house (outdoors). This meeting will be a planning session for the Queanbeyan Multicultural Festival which takes place on Sunday 5 March.
Our AGM and general meeting were held on 15 October. See minutes from those meetings on the pdf posted here.
The committee remains the same as the previous year, with the exception of the President's position.
President: Gerry Gillespie Vice President: Ray Millikin Treasurer: Anne Gardner
Secretary: Carolyn Brooks Secretary (minutes): Viv Cox Committee Member: Alison Charlton
The next meeting will be held from
3pm to 5pm on Saturday 18 February 2023, at Carolyn & Gerry's house (outdoors). This meeting will be a planning session for the Queanbeyan Multicultural Festival which takes place on Sunday 5 March.
Our AGM and general meeting were held on 15 October. See minutes from those meetings on the pdf posted here.
The committee remains the same as the previous year, with the exception of the President's position.
President: Gerry Gillespie Vice President: Ray Millikin Treasurer: Anne Gardner
Secretary: Carolyn Brooks Secretary (minutes): Viv Cox Committee Member: Alison Charlton
| rarq_agm_and_ordinary_meeting_minutes_october_2022.docx |
RAR National Conference 2022
The national RAR committee are planning to hold the national conference, with the theme "Connecting for Change, 'at Katoomba NSW between 16th and 18th September. We hope to be able to view some of the fantastic speakers via Youtube at a later date.
| speakers_biographies__2_.pdf |
Rally for permanent visas, 6 September
|
|
RARQ members attended the recent rally at the grounds of Parliament House. The rally was organised by refugees themselves, most of whom have suffered for years in detention. The crowd was very large and the emotions high as many wait for some certainty in obtaining a visa in Australia. We spoke to people in the crowd who all had heart-wrenching stories to tell. RARQ members, Viv and Ray, hosted Neil Para from Ballarat and his fellow Shri Lankan refugee friend. We as a group enjoyed their company over dinner and caught up on their current situations.
Refugee Week 2022
The theme this year is: Healing
The Canberra Refugee Support group has alerted us to an event by the Parish of Manuka Refugee Support Team. They are conducting a fundraising movie night during Refugee Week on 6pm Wednesday 22 June, 2022 featuring the film’ Limbo' in which a Syrian asylum seeker finds himself on a remote Scottish Island.
There will be a donation from each ticket towards the Canberra Refugee Support ‘Geoff McPherson Scholarship Program’.
Attached is a leaflet about the event as well as a leaflet about a prize winning short film ‘Ayaan', that will be shown as well.
There will be a donation from each ticket towards the Canberra Refugee Support ‘Geoff McPherson Scholarship Program’.
Attached is a leaflet about the event as well as a leaflet about a prize winning short film ‘Ayaan', that will be shown as well.
| refugee_week_2022_flyer4.docx |
| ayaan_image_and_words.docx |
| rarq_agm___general_meeting_19_february_2022_2.docx |
2022 Queanbeyan Multicultural Festival
While some of our members were still avoiding public spaces due to COVID, RARQ still had a positive presence at the recent Multicultural Festival. Our role was to provide a marquee and sound system and general assistance for the sporting events. It also served as a reminder to the public that our group and the issues of those seeking asylum and refuge are still very relevant.
Assisting recently arrived refugees from Afghanistan
RARQ has recently become aware of an influx of refugees evacuated from Afghanistan during the recent Taliban takeover who are currently living in the ACT. We, along with other volunteer groups in the area, are in the process of gaining information and guidance from Companion House, the Canberra Refugee Support group (CRS) and the Red Cross so we may assist them. Some RARQ members have taken out individual membership with CRS so we can become more directly involved and make further connections between Canberra and Queanbeyan support groups.
Please contact us via this website or our facebook page if you are interested in becoming involved.
Our group attended a training session with a Companion House staff member in November 2021 to enhance our knowledge on dealing with victims of trauma. Those of us who do not have a Working With Vulnerable People status are applying for that accreditation so we might directly assist people who are currently in limbo whilst waiting for ID papers. The most urgent issue facing these refugees is affordable accommodation.
In the meantime, we are collecting food for the Companion House pantry. Please contact us if you wish to contribute.
Some members are making monthly payment to RARQ to build up our reserves while our events have been suspended. RARQ continues to donate money to emergency funding where it's needed.
RARQ has recently become aware of an influx of refugees evacuated from Afghanistan during the recent Taliban takeover who are currently living in the ACT. We, along with other volunteer groups in the area, are in the process of gaining information and guidance from Companion House, the Canberra Refugee Support group (CRS) and the Red Cross so we may assist them. Some RARQ members have taken out individual membership with CRS so we can become more directly involved and make further connections between Canberra and Queanbeyan support groups.
Please contact us via this website or our facebook page if you are interested in becoming involved.
Our group attended a training session with a Companion House staff member in November 2021 to enhance our knowledge on dealing with victims of trauma. Those of us who do not have a Working With Vulnerable People status are applying for that accreditation so we might directly assist people who are currently in limbo whilst waiting for ID papers. The most urgent issue facing these refugees is affordable accommodation.
In the meantime, we are collecting food for the Companion House pantry. Please contact us if you wish to contribute.
Some members are making monthly payment to RARQ to build up our reserves while our events have been suspended. RARQ continues to donate money to emergency funding where it's needed.
Ballarat community supports refugee family
Refugee Neil Para was joined by dozens of community members as he walked around Lake Wendouree on Sunday, the first day of National Refugee Week, carrying 13.5 kilograms to represent the weight of uncertainty refugees and asylum seekers face on a daily basis.
Mr Para, his wife Sugaa and three children have been living in Australia for more than seven years, but had their visa and working rights revoked shortly after leaving detention.
Mr Para, his wife Sugaa and three children have been living in Australia for more than seven years, but had their visa and working rights revoked shortly after leaving detention.
|
Queanbeyan Multicultural Festival Sunday March 1st 2020 - another great festival!
RARQ received a lot of exposure at this year's wonderful Queanbeyan Multicultural Festival. Our marquee was situated just inside the oval fence near the main stage and we had plenty of passers-by to contribute to our raffle and to become engaged in the multicultural sports activities introduced to the festival this year. Spectators watched demonstrations of African Wrestling and Cane Ball, with some joining in to give it a try. We hope our involvement with the sports program will grow and become part of RARQ's focus. Any local teams playing a sport from their country of origin are encouraged to contact us. |
The RAR National Annual General Meeting was held in Queanbeyan on 27th July 2019. The meeting was followed by guest speakers and our annual RARQ fundraising dinner.
Above left: Our keynote speaker, David Manne, of Refugee Legal, gave an inspiring talk, giving an overview of Australia's treatment of those seeking asylum in recent years.
Top right: Kim Houghton, of the Regional Australia Institute, spoke of the positive effects for both new arrivals and regional communities when they move from cities to country areas. Above right: Emmanuel Musoni, the patron of RAR, chair of the Great lakes Agency for Peace and Development. Right: RARQ volunteers preparing food for the fundraiser dinner. Thanks to all who contributed time, food and money to the event. |
|
Palm Sunday Rally, Canberra 14th April 2019
This year the numbers at the Palm Sunday rally were much bigger as the sense of frustration at government policy increases. RARQ had a good representation at the rally. The speakers were passionate and inspiring and included a speech via video from Berouze Boochani on Manus.
Canberra rally for children in detention
A large and vocal crowd attended the rally on the lawns of Parliament House, Canberra on October 16th, urging the government to release people held in detention - particularly children suffering on Nauru - into the community for immediate assistance and health care. Rural Australians for Refugees was well represented and organiser, RAR president, Marie Sellstrom, introduced the crowd to several impressive speakers. These included representatives of the local Ngunnuwal people, a doctor from Medicins Sans Frontiers who has just returned from Nauru, and others who had first-hand experience of the trauma experienced by those in detention. Shortis and Simpson sang a touching song written about children on Nauru and the crowd joined them in a rendition of We Shall Overcome. The urgency of the situation was the main focus of the rally which was attended by RSAR groups and other refugee support groups from far and wide.
|
|
