The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has launched a September appeal to raise urgent funds for refugee-led advocacies and legal actions stopping deportations.
The independent charity’s appeal is in response to what it says are concerning new deportation laws from the Federal Govenrment.
Donations will fund ASRC’s Human Rights Law Program, which provides legal advice to people seeking asylum and refugees, will help in legal challenges to stop deportations and fund ASRC’s refugee-led advocacy.
“We don’t want to keep having to be people’s grocery, people’s doctors, people’s lawyers because they can’t access those due to policies based on punishment and deterrence,” ASRC deputy chief executive officer Jana Favero says.
“We would love to change those policies so we no longer have to exist in the way we do. We only exist because of failures in government policies,“ she says.
“Not only do we deliver services, but we also advocate.
“That advocacy includes consulting with people seeking asylum and refugees to tell us what are the most important issues to them.
“That includes legal challenges, trips to Canberra so politicians hear directly from people impacted.“
“I think if there ever a time to donate to ASRC’s advocacy, it’s now seeing what has happened in Parliament in the last week with the passing of a bill that attacks the legal rights of people seeking asylum and refugees, paving the way for people to be deported.”
In a deal with Nauru, the Federal Government introduced the bill to deny a cohort of 354 non-citizens in Australia the ability to legally challenge if the Government decides to send them to Nauru. The cohort have had their visas cancelled on character grounds.
The Government argues that legal challenges were being abused by the cohort to delay their removal “in circumstances where it is neither necessary nor appropriate for it to continue“.
Thousands of people are also still in limbo under the Fast Track system which saw some people impacted camp at the doorstep of the Bruce MP Julian Hill’s office last year.
The majority of those remaining have had their visas refused, cancelled or expired. Many of them are seeking a review.
Depending on their visa conditions, many aren’t on Medicare, don’t have the right to work and don’t receive any social benefits but despite this, many have overcame all the obstacles and have established a successful living.
Rathy Barthlote has lived in limbo for over 12 years and in that time she has worked as a support worker, social support worker volunteer with Red Cross, co-founder of Refugee Women Action for Visa Equality.
She has taken part in many protests across Australia including the numerous asylum and refugee protests in Greater Dandenong.
The mother of two and her first-born daughter is not afforded the same privilege as her second-born who is a citizen.
She recently travelled to Canberra to lobby Parliamentarians and speak directly to Ministers to try to drive change.
“The government needs to hear directly from refugees affected by their policies they need to know who we are, and how their decisions impact on our future and that of our families.
“Through support from ASRC, refugees can access freedom from detention, essential services, and legal support.”
