Greetings all,

As we move into Spring, usually a time of hope, renewal and optimism, we are watching the situation in Afghanistan unfold with heavy hearts.  BR4R, as part of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia, has been actively pushing the government to expand the number of humanitarian visas for Afghani people trying to seek asylum here. Our VP Stanley was quoted on ABC news confirming that we stand ready to accept, welcome and support any Afghani families resettling in our area. 

Please keep up the pressure on the Prime Minister and your Federal MP to act with compassion.  So far, they have offered a fraction of what could be possible.  You can find out more through https://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au/ 

BR4R has been part of a very recent push (through Rural Australians for Refugees) and Greens Senators to offer hope to 15 families in Afghanistan. Each group, like BR4R, is offering sponsorship through the existing Federal Government Global Special Humanitarian visa. If our family is successful in being granted Humanitarian visas, BR4R will have to offer the following:

• Meet the cost of the applicants’ travel to Australia, including airfares.

• Assist in the settlement of the entrants you have proposed

• Meet the entrants at the airport 

• Providing accommodation for the entrants on arrival 

• Assisting the entrants to find permanent accommodation

•  Introducing the entrants to relevant services

BR4R recently finalised our Funding Policy.  This policy makes it clear where funds we raise or are donated will go to.  This policy can be found on our website (with all of our policies).  In brief, we see our role is to think globally and act locally.  That is, our funds are targeted at meeting the needs of those refugees living in Australia and those seeking asylum in Australia.  In this edition of the newsletter, you will find information about three of our partners.  These are trusted organisations or individuals who we give monthly donations to, and when we can, additional one-off funds.  We know that when we give these groups funding, the money goes directly to individual refugees and their families.

With lockdown extending of course our options for raising funds, and awareness, are more limited.  If you have an idea for an online fundraising event, we’d love to hear from you.  If everyone on our contact list (440) donated the equivalent of one cup of espresso coffee each week, ($3), we would raise around $68,000 annually!!  

To raise awareness there are a number of ideas we are working on.  Recently a couple of us took part in an ASRC (Asylum Seeker Resources Centre) campaign call about very draconian (and unnecessary) changes to legislation about charities, really designed to stop charities advocating on behalf of those they support.  As part of a Zoom meeting, we received a short campaign briefing, then all of us called/emailed our MPs/PM/Senators and then came back together to talk about the reaction.  In 40 minutes, 78 calls were made, and a number of emails sent. In BR4R we want to increase our awareness raising/campaigning.  This group phone call event could be an idea for BR4R.  Would you be interested?  

If you have an idea for an event, either to raise funds or awareness, or both, please get in touch at president@br4r.org.au

You will notice that this edition of the newsletter is a little longer and a little different from than usual.  We have moved to sending our newsletters quarterly and in between times, sending out Bulletins where we feel there is an immediate call to action, or a BR4R event we want to let you know about. In this newsletter we have focused on letting you know a bit more about what we actually do and how we do it. The addition of Hazel Davidson to the newsletter team will hopefully make the task of getting our regular newsletters out a lot easier.  Many thanks from us all to Hazel for stepping forward.

We are planning a members’ afternoon on Saturday 18th September.  Whilst we hope this will be in person, we have to plan for the strong possibility, we may have to go virtual.  Members should hear about that shortly.

These are trying times for everyone.  It really brings home the impact of freedom being taken away, or limited, albeit here, to get the virus under control.  Where you can, smile at those you pass on your walk or in the supermarket aisle.  Let’s keep hope that things will improve, for all who are in various types of lockdowns, but also for those we support, many of whom have had their freedom restricted for eight or more years, and who still have no certainty for their future.  We all need to stay hopeful and optimistic for their sake.

Warm regards, 

Ruth

Contact me at: president@br4r.org.au

OUR PARTNERS

BR4R has partnered with three organisations that we feel do incredible work, directly supporting refugees.  We have committed to sending each of those organisations funding every month and when funds allow, offering additional one-off payments to support their work.  We have asked each of these partners to send us a brief history and outline of their work.

Manus Lives Matter (MLM)

Support for Manus and Ex-Manus and Nauru refugees. 

With over 100 refugees in each of Port Moresby and Nauru and many others either still detained in Australian Detention.  MLM has been busy as usual reaching out and responding with support. 

MLM grew out of visits to Manus Island by a few Canberra refugee advocates beginning in 2015 when needs and contacts were established.  With the help of a small number of grassroots church people in Canberra a system of sending phone credit and parcels regularly sent to Manus was set up.  Today we continue to support about 20 of the remaining refugees on PNG with regular $45 phone credit each month or emergency credit when there is need to contact families more regularly. 

When PNG added administration and tax costs to parcels, we changed and now send only an occasional parcel to meet needs not available in Moresby.  MLM continue critical work supporting those remaining on PNG.  We have about a dozen regular donors giving amounts from $35 to the generous BR4R monthly donation of $200.  These funds continue to serve mostly the men in Moresby with one-off support and are also used to meet exceptional needs of a few who are in the US now. 

BR4R is a significant donor for MLM and with your support there are fewer requests we have to say NO to.

This year with Covid, combined with an upsurge in violence with the breaking-in of a group of bandits armed with guns and bush knives, and an increase in food costs and accommodation, all added to the number of requests we receive.  About half our money goes to regular payments and the other half goes in responding to individual requests.

MLM are in touch with the church group providing a minimum of support especially to the men who have wives and children in Moresby.  This makes us aware of priority needs so that we do not double up.  We also keep in mind Anne Moon's and GFMAN's (Global Forum on Maintenance & Asset Management) support for the men and have at times diverted offers of support to them where appropriate.  Our knowledge of the men through visits and regular contact allows us to discern and prioritise needs. 

This year we have supported families a little especially the wife of one refugee for the birth of her baby.  The public hospital had 100% of the expectant mothers testing positive to Covid.  MLM helped get the mother to the private hospital.  The family was kept healthy and welcomed a new baby.  One of the men accepted to the US tested positive for leukemia, and while AdsUp helped him, face to face contact was not possible and parcels and arrangements to get him to doctors' appointments had to be arranged by phone.  MLM contributed a little to this refugee and to another who needed hearing aids.  Both of these supports are examples of our one-off supports as our main focus is on those still detained. 

Our group also supported the mother of one refugee when she needed to have lifesaving surgery in hospital in Afghanistan.  We seem to find ourselves giving support where there is a gap in other support.  In all these instances the generosity of individuals who had developed ties with the refugees involved, added to our smaller MLM support.

Mental health is the major factor for us in deciding which needs and requests to respond to.  Replacing lost or stolen phones and extra phone credit are still regular needs.  We have sent parcels with specific ointments, food, shoes and clothes to meet health needs not met in PNG.  The most recent goal for us is to pay to help those whose mental health is very strained to join a gym and therefore give them something worthwhile to do in a safe place.  This is a long-term goal as gym membership is up to $380 and we cannot do this for everyone who asks.  We are looking at the possibility of monthly memberships.

Thanks so much to the generous people of BR4R who make this work possible. I truly believe we save lives.

Sister Jane Keogh, MLM

The Brisbane on-arrival refugee and asylum seekers support group

This group was formally established in December 2019 to respond to the needs of people being transferred from Nauru and PNG to Australia for medical treatment.  We also initially provided SIM cards, phones, clothing, along with advice and support on how to manage in an Australian environment. 

We provide financial, practical and emotional assistance to people in locked detention, Community Detention and people on Bridging Visas. 

The structure of our group is very simple and requires good will and communication between people in the small group.  It is about keeping strong networks so that everyone can share information that may be useful for others.  We aim to respond quickly and efficiently to the needs as they arise and to try to demonstrate to those seeking our support that we are respectful of their privacy and needs.  It is this approach that has resulted in a great deal of trust from the men who continue to contact us after they leave detention and indeed, are in other countries.  Our volunteers come from backgrounds in government, public health, settlement support, migration, education and other key professions.

Over time the group has refocused as the needs changed.  People now contact us for:

• Information and advice on visas, employment, training, help with daily issues as they arise.  Here we work closely with Indooroopilly Uniting church.

• We are still focused on the men who continue in locked detention.  Their health is often much worse now than when they arrived.  This necessitates some negotiation with Immigration, ABF (Australian Border Force), IHMS (International Health & Medical Services) and SERCO (contractor for all sorts of government services).  These men also need material aid and practical things to relieve boredom and stress.

• We give practical assistance to people trying to settle.  Often this involves networking and connections to other groups and people who can help.  A common task is helping to get drivers' licenses.

• The group continues to lobby through the RCoA (Refugee Council of Australia) and other organizations for the release of the remaining men.

Some of the ways the funding from BR4R has helped: 

• replacing old mobile phones for men in held detention;

• phone credit top-up for people in held detention and community detention;

• clothing for men in held detention;

• medication;

• optometry;

• postage for items to BITA (Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation) during lockdowns;

• cost of blue cards and police checks;

• rent for 2-3 families released from Community Detention to a Final Departure Bridging Visa;

• rent and bond for new housing for two men released from Kangaroo Point 

Rebecca Lim and Janet Wilson.

Dawn Barrington

Dawn is a well-regarded WA based singer/songwriter and independent music professional.  She is also a tireless, strong advocate for refugees, especially for those held in detention, both in hotels and in detention centres across Australia.  Dawn is well known to many individual refugees and is trusted by them.  Through her we have learnt of the stories of many of those who have been treated so cruelly by the Australian government.  BR4R sends Dawn a monthly contribution towards her work and each month we receive a detailed account of how funds have been allocated.  Dawn will send a request out when there is a need for one-off funding, such as, driving licences, dental care, clothes etc and she is often overwhelmed with responses. We at BR4R have supported Dawn’s requests through, for example, the provision of clothes and practical items for men in hotel detention in Melbourne or Darwin.  We have also met requests by individual refugees endorsed by Dawn.

Direct funding

One thing all our partners and BR4R have in common, is that all of our organisations are completely managed and run by volunteers.  This means that there are no overheads and very few administrative costs (insurance being the main one).  When you donate money to BR4R, you can be assured that it goes directly to meet the needs of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia.

Treasurer’s update

Rik Dillon is our Treasurer who ensures the groups above get regular payments and additional one-off amounts when we are able. We also offer one-off funding to organisations like Refugee Legal and the Refugee Council when we feel their requests help us meet our goal of thinking globally and acting locally. Our aim is to make sure that when get funds in, we distribute them as quickly as possible. We also aim to keep any overheads/running costs as low as possible. To this end, we distributed more than $30,000 in the year ending 30th June 2021. This is an amazing amount for a small completely volunteer run group. We would like to thank all those who have made personal donations (some very significant) come to our events, donated at the Palm Sunday rally, supported us at the markets, joined as financial members or contributed their time to help raise funds. We feel very privileged to live in such a supportive and compassionate community.

 If anyone has questions about our finances, please contact Rik on treasurer@br4r.org.au

Vale Marianne Astbrink 
(d.17th June 2021)

BR4R was very saddened to learn of the passing in June of one of our dearest and most generous supporters, Marianne Astbrink who died peacefully after a long illness. 

Although Marianne had lived for 50 years on the Gold Coast before moving to Ballina in December of last year, she was actually born in Sweden.  Due to her husband's work on cargo ships, Marianne became a global citizen, travelling the world.  This experience undoubtedly led to her being interested in, and able to relate to, people from many different cultures and backgrounds.

Marianne is the mother of Gunela, a past President of BR4R, and it was through this connection that Marianne developed a concern about, and a deep compassion for the situation facing individual refugees and asylum seekers in Australia.  This compassion for others was something that Marianne carried across her entire adult life.

Marianne was someone who truly practiced random acts of kindness.  An example of this generosity is demonstrated in the purchase of a family ticket to Seaworld for a family who were being hosted by Gunela and her partner Allan.

Over the years, Marianne donated to BR4R many items from her home which were sold at the markets or offered as raffle prizes.  Marianne also donated significant sums of money, including a very large donation on her passing.  These donations enabled BR4R to give immediate support to individual refugees and their families through one of our partner organisations.

The world is most certainly the poorer for the loss of this very generous person.

Vale Marianne.

BR4R Refugee Settlement Support Group

The group continues to prepare for a refugee or asylum seeker to settle in our region. There is a likelihood that a young man, originally from Iran, will be coming in November this year.  The group met to plan for this eventuality in August. 
We also welcomed a new member to our group, making us 13 in total. Anyone interested in learning more about the group and how they could participate are warmly invited to look up https://br4r.org.au/supportingrefugees/
 
Last week, we received an urgent request from Regional Australians for Refugees (RAR) to sponsor a Hazara Afghani family comprising a couple and their four children. We have submitted an application to the Department of Home Affairs in support of their global special humanitarian visa application. Unfortunately, we understand that the family are in hiding in Kabul and it is highly uncertain if and when they can leave. Should they be able to escape, BR4R as a sponsor undertakes to cover their airfares to Australia, find them permanent accommodation, and assist them to settle in our region.
 
Earlier in July, we assisted a member of the African refugee community residing in Lismore, to apply for a personal banking position at the ANZ branch in Ballina. This employment opportunity is the initiative of the Brotherhood of St Laurence in partnership with ANZ to assist people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
 
An important aspect of community refugee sponsorship is the commitment of financially supporting (in cash or kind) the refugee for the first 12 months of their settlement. This ranges from approximately $26,000 (for a single person) to $47,000 for a family of five. BR4R has commenced setting aside monthly contributions towards this fund since March this year. We are looking to organize special fund-raising projects in the near future, and welcome any individuals who would like to make a regular donation or a pledge in support of this project.
 
Please contact Stanley Yeo, the group’s coordinator, with any questions. Email: s.yeo@br4r.org.au
 
 

THE FOX is a new little book by Mohammad Ali Maleki

Mohammad Ali Maleki is one of many refugees currently caught up in Australia’s cruel immigration system which supports indefinite detention.  Mohammed is currently in BITA. Back home in Iran, Mohammad was a hard worker. "My job was tailoring. I also worked in cinema for many years, not as an actor.  We were in the decor construction section." 

Mohammad is happiest when he is working hard. He would like to one day continue his career as a tailor or work again in the film industry.

Along with hundreds of other men, Mohammad was detained offshore on Manus Island in terrible conditions with little support.  "God created me to be tortured in the camps.  We were in the Manus camps for six years and we have been in the Australian camps for two years now."

While on Manus, Mohammad started writing poetry, as a way to help his mental health and to survive the harsh conditions.  Manus was a very bad place to torture us inside the camps.  I decided to put the words of my heart on paper.  When I wrote on paper and saw what was bothering me, I calmed down a bit by writing poems.  Writing these poems means removing grudges from my heart."

Some of Mohammad’s poems have been published online by various writers and publishers in Australia.  This has given him some happiness and enabled his voice to reach beyond the fences of detention.  His writing has appeared in publications by Verity La, Rochford Street Review, Red Room Company and in the Other Terrain Journal and Blue Pepper. 

In 2017, Writing Through Fences published "The Strong Sunflower", in a small beautifully presented book featuring artworks by eight artists.  The spine of the book is sewn in reference to his work as a tailor.

Printed in the same format, Mohammad’s latest poem "The Fox" is presented with artworks, this time by fourteen artists, who each created work for a specific line of the poem. Artists (a mix of refugees and supporters) are: Leila Ashtiani, Janet Galbraith, Jen Tyers, Anita Kelly, Naser, First Dog on the Moon, Mandy Ord, Mars Drum, Fakhr, Eaten Fish, Sina, Rachael Wenona Guy, Michael Camilleri & Daisy Noyes.

"The Fox” is a tale about power and its uncertainty and follows a hungry animal roaming the countryside for food.  Mohammad says "Unfortunately, everyone who comes to power thinks that they can make decisions for everyone.  Unaware that, like the story of the fox, they forget what they were and what they can become.  I wrote this story that God will give human beings as much power as they deserve.  No more than they deserve."

Mohammad presents this story "with the hope that one day all prisons and detention centres will be empty of innocent people."

"The Fox" was translated by Mansour Shoshtari, a friend of Mohammad’s who was also on Manus and now lives in USA. 

The story is published by Writing Through Fences. (https://www.writingthroughfences.org)

All profit from book sales will go directly to Mohammad.

Cost $12 (+ $2.25 postage). Available online on the SHOP page at: www.writingthroughfences.org (note only PayPal accepted at this stage)_

Seeking Asylum Poetry Prize

The closing date for our BR4R annual Poetry Prize has come and gone, and we were delighted to send a grand total of 104 poems from 66 poets to our judge, Aidan Coleman.  He is the poetry editor of our publishing partner, Social Alternatives, and he plans to feature as many poems as possible in an issue of that journal later this year. 

“Thank you for all that you do and for creating an opportunity such as this poetry prize.”

“What a fantastic initiative to celebrate diversity and shared experiences in our community.”

“A friend told me about this. It looks like you do great work.”

“Thank you for the good work you do and for your compassion and empathy."

One entrant specifically asked us to donate any winnings to a refugee family for their children's books and clothes. Such generosity!
 

Watch this space for the results!

Like many organizations we are uncertain which if any, in-person events will go ahead at this stage. Please put this in your diaries just in case it can go ahead. 

MARKETS

Each month Meg, Trish and Rosemarie, together with their band of loyal volunteers, staff the BR4R stalls at the East Ballina Lions markets. This markets have given BR4R regular income and a way of connecting with Ballina community.

ROADSIDE RALLIES

BR4R holds regular fortnightly streetside rallies as part of our awareness raising work. The next rally (held on Kerr Street near Ballina Fair) with restrictions permitting will be as follows:
 

September, 15, 29 - 4pm - 5pm 

October 13, 27 4.30pm - 5.30pm daylight saving

November 10, 24 4.30pm - 5.30pm daylight saving

December 8, 24 4.30pm - 5.30pm daylight saving

Come and join with the regulars to express your concern about Australia's appalling treatment of refugees and asylum seekers by holding a placard.  People in passing vehicles are more responsive the more people who attend.  It is important to bring a hat.  Covered shoes are a must because the ants can be overly friendly. Again if you would like to find out more, contact us on volunteers@br4r.org.au

Homestay Program

Our Homestay Program has been operating since 2015.  It gives refugees and people seeking asylum a chance to get away for a short time from their stressful lives and stay with friendly welcoming people in our region.

Often contact is maintained and sometimes friendships are formed.  For example, one former host is providing moral support for a woman facing domestic violence.  Another host, after a visit by the family of a young man, is preparing for his settlement in this area.  This will be an opportunity for BR4R’s Refugee Settlement Group to provide much practical support.

Because of Covid border closures and travel restrictions, we have not been able to offer more than one homestay visit this year, but we expect 2022 to be better! 

In the next few months, existing homestay hosts and volunteers will be contacted to check if their circumstances have changed. We welcome new hosts and volunteers.  Please contact Gunela Astbrink, Homestay Coordinator, homestay@br4r.org.au

BR4R needs volunteers.  Can you help?

You can volunteer and be involved in our activities to raise money and support refugees living in Australia and in offshore detention centres.

Our activities:
Poetry Competition - Annual
Ballina Bunnings Sausage Sizzle 
Homestay
Letter writing
Ballina Markets - 3rd Sunday of each month
Ballina roadside rally - fortnightly
Car Boot market Lismore - Annual
Palm Sunday gathering in the park - Annual
Movies/Art exhibition - Bi-annual
Refugee resettlement

BR4R has a new volunteer coordinator, Marilyn Leeks. Marilyn will keep track of and support our volunteers and talk to you about which events you can help with.  

Marilyn lives in Ocean Shores and has been involved with BR4R since 2015.  She has participated in the Nauru Friendship Group, the BR4R lobbying campaign prior to the 2016 federal election, the Family Reunification Project, regular fundraising events and is currently a member of the Refugee Resettlement group. 

Our most recent event in July was the screening of the film Scattered People, in collaboration with the Star Court Theatre Lismore and Byron Theatre.  The film told the story of refugees who had been sent to offshore detention centres indefinitely and who were eventually transferred to the mainland for medical treatment and detained in the Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation Centre (BITA).  

Many thanks to the volunteers who worked at these successful events - Bill, Ruth, Meg, Trish, Rose, Sahar, Lisa and Rik.

We have an urgent need for volunteers who would like to meet regularly for a discussion about a current issue impacting on refugees in Australia, share a cuppa and write a letter(s) on behalf of BR4R.  The group will decide how often to meet and what format would suit you, the members.  If you are interested, ring Marilyn to chat about what is involved.

Become a volunteer and by contacting Marilyn by email on: volunteers@br4r.org.au or phone 0407 219 898.

SUPPORTER PROFILE
LUKE ROBINSON

There are many ways of volunteering for BR4R. One of those ways is through music. Luke Robinson has been a great supporter of BR4R. He has played at a number of BR4R events. 

Luke: I grew up in the Latrobe Valley region of Victoria, my mother a nurse and father an engineer, with 3 younger siblings.  In many respects mine was a typical conservative rural white middle class upbringing, and our family were also heavily involved in Pentecostal churches.  On finishing secondary school, I had completed an applied science degree, but then entered my `quarter-life crisis' and for a short time studied theology at a liberal college (Whitley) in Melbourne, with the thought of becoming a politically/socially activist minister, inspired by figures such as Tim Costello and Martin Luther King Jr.

I had developed a passion for social justice which remained strong.  Now in search of a different profession to put this passion into practice, I eventually settled on becoming a doctor and completed my medical studies at the University of Melbourne.  With an interest in indigenous health, I subsequently spent much of my training time as a junior doctor in the Northern Territory (Darwin, Katherine, Alice Springs) and finally qualified as a specialist in Emergency Medicine.  I worked for several years back in Melbourne in Dandenong, ethnically diverse with a high refugee population, before moving up to the Northern Rivers region in early 2019, where I continue to work in local emergency departments.  As a doctor in the public health system, I have a very real and immediately rewarding way to help the disadvantaged.  However, I continue to have a passion for spurring systemic change through politics and culture – I feel it is important for me to be able to contribute on both levels.  

I had little interest in musical performance during my younger years, but during my medical training I discovered my voice (literally) and began writing songs largely about social/environmental/political issues.  So much of our contemporary music reflects our western culture's rampant individualism, nihilism and obsession with feelings, particularly romantic love, sex or the lack thereof.  It usually has little to say, however, about the broader human experience, and in particular social, political or environmental issues.  For a short time in the 1960s these themes hit the mainstream through the folk revival, and in Australia the torch continued to be carried in later decades by bands such as Redgum, Goanna and Midnight Oil, but at present there appear to be only sporadic forays by a few mainstream musicians into this territory.

My own style of musical expression is generally folk-rock with an acoustic guitar, and in the last few years since finishing my medical specialisation I have been working part-time and playing at folk festivals around Australia, as well as performing in support of events such as a Ballina Region for Refugees art exhibition in October 2020, and a Palm Sunday rally in Ballina earlier this year. 

I see the role of my music as twofold: to encourage and motivate to action those already converted to a cause, and to open or change the minds of others.  In my experience the former is generally easier than the latter, which is my ongoing ambition.  So much discourse now happens in `echo-chambers', and it is all too easy for people to stick to their tribe's ideas and tune out to the written or spoken arguments of others – this is a key challenge for organisations and political parties championing progressive causes such as the rights of refugees. I believe music is one way of breaking through these barriers, and creating cultural change, or at least a shift in the `Overton window' - the range of policies politically acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time.  

SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/lukerrobinson

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/1JwqfvUUP5ZEMCSKz0zYeV?si=7l-ZOY8CTwmGsbZMNsJ8uA

I can also donate album CDs for fundraisers if needed.

Subject to Covid-19 restrictions, I'm available to perform (free) in support of progressive causes and can be contacted through my Facebook page or email address below:

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/lukerrobinson.music

EMAIL:  luke.r.robinson@gmail.com  

LukeRRobinson.music@gmail.com

There's Gotta be a better Way- by Luke Robinson

INTRO (mock radio news report)

In news from Manus island, we can confirm that an asylum seeker, Reza Berati, was killed on Monday in a riot at the detention centre.  It is believed he died from head injuries inflicted by a security guard.

And find a better way

Rural Australians for Refugees News: Take Stock Survey & Workshops.

BR4R is a member of Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR).

RAR started 20 years ago in the Southern Highlands, in September 2001. Twenty years of supporting refugees and people seeking asylum, and advocating for fairness, decency and humane treatment of people seeking safety. We did not anticipate we’d still be here in 2021! Yet we are. We are bringing a particular rural and regional perspective to refugee advocacy.

We want to understand how we can get the best value from our actions. The RAR National Committee has organised activities so that we can take stock and look at how we will work through the next three years.

1. We start with an online survey. We would like as many people as possible to complete this short survey. Our member groups, members of your groups, our supporters, other refugee support and advocacy groups, refugees and people seeking asylum who we have connected with in some way. The survey is anonymous. Here is the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RARNational   It is open until 30 September.

2. We will also hold two Zoom sessions, for which people can register to take part in more in-depth discussion, with the facilitator, about RAR and its future directions. The dates for these are: Tuesday 7 September, from 6pm – 7.30pm and Wednesday 8 September from 9am – 10.30am. There are eight places for each session so if you would like to attend, please email rar.australia@gmail.com  to register.

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