A forum is coming to Geelong to raise awareness of the current government policies that keep refugees in a “state of limbo”.
The Fairness Yet to Come forum will occur at the Wesley Uniting Church on 100 Yarra Street on Thursday, September 14, from 7.15pm.
Sue Longmore, from the Queenscliff Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) and Combined Refugee Action Group (CRAG), said the forum focused on the issues in Australia’s refugee policy.
“You can’t build a future because you never know whether you’re going to be returned to the country you feared. So, you live in a state of mental trauma,” she said.
“There seems to be no pathway for these 12000 people to permanency as they’ve been here for up to 11 years in a state of limbo and haven’t been able to reunite with family members.”
Ms Longmore said the forum looked to raise refugee awareness and provide a potential resolution to the government to help “find justice for this group of people”.
“At the very least, the Albanese Government recognises that these people were judged under an unfair system,” she said.
“Their claims for asylum should be reviewed and new information provided because 11 years is a long time… and people shouldn’t have to live separated from family and unable to move on.”
Ms Longmore said she hoped people from the Geelong community would attend the forum and reach out to their local members and key politicians to help find a positive outcome for the issue.
The Fairness Yet to Come forum will be run by CRAG, Bellarine for Refugees, and Queenscliff RAR and features speeches by asylum seeker with lived experience Geetha Ramachandran, asylum seeker advocate Sr Brigid Arthur, and Refugee Legal senior lawyer Ben Goulding.
