Hello from Pastor David Busch

 Strategy Planning Meeting

A strategy meeting will take place at Trinity Uniting Church, 47 Marlborough St, Wellington Point on Tuesday 15 July 2014 at 7.00pm.

We are keen to identify some pathways ahead for our:

• Hospitality days
• Community education events
• Prayer vigils and network
• Advocacy
• Practical support for refugees and asylum seekers
• Organisation: meetings, working groups, promotion, etc

Depending on how many come, we will seek to use small groups to "hot house" ideas and time frames in these various areas, and then as a whole group agree on shape and priorities which will then be put as proposals to our next general meeting. Whether or not you can come, your ideas in advance by email are welcome. I will share these by email to us all on Sunday night.

Friday 11 July 2014: Forum on refugees and asylum seekers with the shadow minister  

If you are free come along to a Refugee and Immigration Forum with Richard Marles MP, Shadow MInister for Immigration and Border Protection, hosted by Graham Perrett MP, federal member for Moreton and Terri ButlerMP, federal member for Griffith. Speakers include Rebecca Lim (Romero Centre) and Louise Ryan (Labor for Refugees). The venue is Marymac Community Centre, 616 Ipswich Road, Annerley.

Ride for Refugees

One of our people, Liana Vasic, is participating in Brisbane's Ride for Refugees on 30 August 2014 and is inviting others to join in. Details are on the website http:www.rideforrefugees.com.au/ or email Liana to join up with her: liana3@yahoo.com

 Speech from Leading Jurist 

Alastair NIcholson, former chief judge of the Family Court of Australia, has given a compelling speech on Australia's treatment of asylum seekers, called "My country, my shame." It's a metaphorical call to arms: "What then must we do? We must work together to show governments that this situation will not continue to be tolerated..... We must bring it home that the people that we are mistreating in this way are people like us....We must stand up to the Abbots, Morrisons and Shortens of this world." Click on the "My country, my shame" link to read the article which was published in The Age on 04 July 2014.

High Court Considers Tamil Asylum Seekers Case

The Australian Navy’s intercept and screening of two boatloads of Tamil asylum seekers is being challenged in the High Court. As that action was being proposed, leading barrister Ben Saul argued in Crikey.com.au that Australia had probably broken the law in its handling of the issue. His article is attached here as a PDF with a link to the source. Meanwhile, when the government did eventually confirm that the Australian Navy detained a boatload of asylum seekers before transferring them to the Sri Lankan navy for return to their country of origin, 53 international law scholars from 17 Australian universities signed a public statement expressing profound concern. That statement is here: https://theconversation.com/statement-by-legal-scholars-regarding-the-situation-concerning-sri-lankan-asylum-seekers-28891.