Attendees at an asylum seeker and refugee forum held on Saturday heard from Social Justice Advocate of the Sapphire Coast (SJASC) and Pastor Pam Skelton who spoke passionately about looking after the most vulnerable in society.
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The forum, organised by the SJASC, at Twyford Hall, Merimbula, attracted about 200 people and followed the decision by Bega Valley Shire Council to declare the shire a welcome zone for refugees and asylum seekers.
“I know that not everyone shares the same concerns but this is core business from a spiritual point of view,” Pastor Skelton said.
“Refugees come from diverse backgrounds, there are currently 17 million refugees, they are not all the same and relatively few have come to our shores.”
Pastor Skelton said it was very encouraging to see so many people at the forum and hoped they would leave better informed to make the shire a totally welcoming place.
This is core business from a spiritual point of view.
- Pastor Pam Skelton
The meeting heard from a panel of speakers including an immigration lawyer, Red Cross representatives, and an asylum seeker, Marty, living and working in Melbourne.
Marty, an asylum seeker from the Middle East spoke about his journey from Indonesia in an ageing wooden boat packed with other asylum seekers.
He spent two months in a detention centre and has been granted a bridging visa. When he arrived in Australia he brought with him his tailoring skills. Marty now works for Australia’s biggest handmade tailoring company, recently measuring up Hugh Jackman for a suit.
However, his future remains uncertain as he waits for the government to make a determination on his visa application.
Immigration lawyer Rebecca Wallace said it was the biggest audience she had ever spoken to on the subject.
“This is a very different field to work in; it can be very confronting,” she said.
“Simply fleeing war or poverty doesn’t entitle you to refugee status. If you can’t show you’re being targeted you’re not entitled to be a refugee.
“We’re not trying to force people on communities. They need to be able to find work, the employment factor is a driver.”