We are a group of 15 refugee women of Tamil and Iranian backgrounds who were processed through the flawed Fast Track process introduced by the previous government. We were very happy to hear that the ALP agreed that it did not provide a fair, thorough and robust assessment process for persons seeking asylum.
When the ALP came into power on 21st May 2022, we celebrated knowing that our life in limbo for the past 10 years is about to change. We are humbly requesting the Albanese Labor Government grant us and other 10,000 plus refugees an opportunity to seek permanent protection under a fair process.
We women and our families are genuine refugees who have made significant contributions to our local communities and employment across many service sectors but do not have permanent visas enabling equal rights and access to essential social services for over a decade.
Our children do not have access to HECS to attain higher education in TAFE or University and many feel helpless. Though we have been law abiding, held jobs, paid taxes and contributed to the economy, we languish under temporary visa conditions. Our greatest concern is that we face an uncertain future and fear of being deported back to countries where we face persecution.
We are walking from Sydney to Parliament House Canberra to raise awareness about our visa situation. This is not a rally or protest; it is a walk together seeking support.
Here is a brief about each of us:
Kavya
Kavya came to Australia in 2013 as a teenager. She finished her high school in Sydney and was not able to attend university due to having to pay international student fee. Kavya has completed a TAFE Certificate IV course in Laboratory Skills. Kavya is married now and has 2 daughters aged 3 1/2 years and a baby born in July 2023. Her newborn baby hasn’t got a visa yet and doesn’t have Medicare Card.
Sahar
Sahar, her husband and their two-year-old daughter arrived in Australia in 2013. Their son was born in Autralia. Sahar works as a Support Worker helping vulnerable Australians and her husband works in the building industry installing floors.
Fariba
Fariba and her daughter arrived in Australia 2012 to join their husband who is an Australian citizen. But because Fariba and her daughter arrived by boat, the husband is not able to sponsor them as a spouse/daughter migrants. Fariba’s husband has Stage 4 Cancer. Their daughter works as a support worker and now has a 9-year-old daughter born in Australia.
Maryam
Maryam, her husband, their daughter Shala who was 16 and son who was 12 arrived in Australia in 2012. Her husband and son work in the building industry. Their daughter is married to a NSW Police officer who is a citizen and they have two children born in Australia. Yet, the daughter Shala is not able to become a permanent resident as she arrived by boat.
Niranjana
Niranjana came to Australia in 2013 with her husband, daugther Najini then aged 6 and son Srihari then aged 2. Niranjana and her husband work as factory hands. Najini is studying Nursing at TAFE and wants to provide essential health care services to the community which has given her refuge. Her son is in year 8 and has consistently topped his class in Maths. He hopes to become an engineer if he is able to attend University.
Komathy
Komathy, her husband and their two sons aged 13 and 10 arrived in Australia in 2013. Their third son was born in Australia and is attending school. Komathy has a Diploma in Childcare and works as an Early Childhood Educator. Their oldest son has completed his Computer Science degree and the second son has completed his Certificate III In Mechanical Engineering. Due to the temporary nature of their visa, they are not able to secure permanent employment in the field of their qualifications.
Suganthiny
Suganthiny came to Australia in 2012 with her two daughters who were aged 12 and 2 1/2 years at that time. She is a widow after her husband was killed in Sri Lanka due to being a Tamil. Sukanthy has a Diploma in Childcare as well as Certificate III in Aged Care. She works as a early childhood educator during the day and a factory worker at night to make ends meet.
Vijitha
Vijitha and her husband came to Australia in 2011 with their son who was 7 and daugther aged 2.5. They had a daughter born in Australia in 2014. Vijitha owned a retail shop selling clothing and her husband had a barber shop. They had to give up their businesses when their refugee application was rejected through the Fast Track process.
Kamaleswary
Kamaleswary came to Australia 2013 with her husband and daughter Mary then aged 16 and son Amalraj then aged 10. Her husband is a Carpenter by Trade. Mary completed her HSC and then went to TAFE and completed Certificate IV in Aged Care and is working as a Carer in Aged Care looking after the elderly in Blacktown. Her son Amalraj completed his HSC, but at that point their visa had changed and is not eligible to pursue tertiary education.
Nirushidha
Nirushidha came to Australia aged 18 and was not able to go to university due to international student fees. She has attended TAFE and completed Cert IV in Laboratory Techniques. Due to temporary visa situation, she is finding it hard to get a permanent job.
Jeyaranjini
Jeyaranjini came with her husband and 11-year-old son in 2012. Due to not having a permanent visa, their son is not able to pursue his education in mining operations. They do not have work rights or access to Medicare benefits since 2020. They also do not have access to any Centrelink benefits.
Jamila
Jamila, her husband and their son aged two came to Australia in 2013. They now have two Australian born children born in 2014 and 2015. Her husband works laying NBN cables.
Thushanthi
Thushanthi and her husband came to Australia in 2012. Their refugee application was rejected through the Fast Track process. Thushanthi was 7 months pregnant when she lost her baby. They own and operate a restaurant in Brisbane.
Ranjini
Ranjini came to Australia in 2010 with her husband and daughter Dhashika who was aged 5 at the time. Her son Hari and daughter Thisha were born in Australia. Dhashika is studying law at university on a scholarship. Ranjini and her husband are working full time.
Niruba
Niruba and her husband Vithi came to Australia in 2013 and had a son born in Australia in 2014. Vithi works in the construction industry. They visa application was rejected through the Fast Track process and they are currently on a bridging visa.
Refugee Women Walking for A Fair Go
Email: refugeewomenwalkfairgo@gmail.com
Facebook: facebook.com/refugeewomenwalk
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Is this another example of Labor big on promises in Oppositiin but unwilling to follow through in Government? FFS give them, and the others a life Penny.
Good idea for refugees to get out more on the street so to speak, to be visible and personalise i.e. many regional Australians are fed much negativity about refugees, immigrants etc., but this changes with personal contact or proximity; mandatory detention kicked off under ALP’s Gerry Hand in ’92?
Bipartisan bigotry still feeding into, not just old white Australia sentiments (conditioned by media and deep in the subconscious?), matching our political/media classes and modern manifestations using imported US fossil fueled Tanton Network’s ZPG Zero Population Growth type faux ‘environmentalism’.
Narratives have included playing with timelines e.g. claiming post WWII European refugees or DPIs etc. were well behaved and culturally attuned, not (polls post WWII showed support for bans Catholic & Jewish immigration), and then to claim, for past generation that post 1970s refugees and immigrants are neither genuine nor deserving of our empathy or support; eugenics.
It is time to stop this cruel xenophobic policy and return all legal refugees to mainland Australia, provide any necessary medical treatment, accommodation, language education and access to both education training and jobs.
Why is the Albanese LABOR government continuing Howard’s fear of something different to himself (thankfully)?? Why is this relic of the unfortunate Suppository of all Backward thinking still being pursued by any government that asserts itself to be progressive yet practices 19th century racism?
Good news from the High Court of Australia:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/indefinite-immigration-detention-rules-illegal-by-high-court-20231109-p5eimx.html
Andrew Giles the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs appears to be an engaged and conscientious minister. His recent comments at the Refugee Communities Association of Australia Conference stated that :
“Our approach [the Albanese government] to humanitarian resettlement is about so much more than how many refugees we resettle every year.
This Government is determined to change the tone of our debate around refugees to one that is anchored in compassion.
To ensure refugees, like Htoo, not only feel safe, but feel welcome in the country they now call home.”
https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/AndrewGiles/Pages/refugee-communities-assoc-aust-conf-21092023.aspx
Perhaps the minister would care to comment on the issues raised in this article ?
More information on the High Court decision.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/indefinite-detention-ruled-unlawful-by-high-court-20231108-p5eili.html
Censorship by the SMH closing comments on their own page …. before any comments were listed ….. to protect ‘the good name” of the COALition and their xenophobic policies?? Perhaps the Australian voters need to tell their Parliamentary representatives what they think of allowing legal refugees to contribute to the wider Australian community.