Opinion
After years of letter-writing to MPs, protesting on the streets and, above all, listening to and supporting families shattered by a cruel immigration policy, the Circle of Friends paused last month to rejoice over the Federal Government’s decision to give permanent residency to more than 19,000 refugees.
News
Refugee and asylum seeker support and advocacy groups have welcomed the long-awaited announcement by the Albanese Government that it will provide a permanent visa pathway for existing Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) holders.
Get The Southern Cross delivered straight to your inbox twice per month.
Thanks for signing up to the Southern Cross newsletter.
Over the past 12 months the story that has had the biggest impact on me personally, and hopefully our readers, is that of three ‘forgotten families’ on bridging visas struggling to cope during the COVID-19 restrictions.
Refugees transferred to Australia from Papua New Guinea and Nauru for medical reasons, including 30 people living in community detention in Adelaide, have been given three weeks’ notice to find a job and a place to live.
Asylum seeker families in Adelaide have opened up about the stress of living for years with constant uncertainty, little or no income and a reliance on charity for basic necessities – issues which have been magnified during the coronavirus pandemic.
Eleven-year-old Mustafa is a beautifully-spoken, polite boy with an infectious smile. His older brother Mohammad is articulate and engaging but when you look closely at his big brown eyes there is a seriousness and sense of responsibility that no 15-year-old kid should be burdened with.
Get The Southern Cross delivered straight to your inbox twice per month.
Thanks for signing up to the Southern Cross newsletter.
