Refugee policy and settlement – a story of light & dark

Wednesday 23 March, 17.30 at Door of Hope (please be seated by 17.15)

  • Candidates – Bridget Archer, Ross Hart, Cecily Rosol
  • Tas Refugee Legal Service – Patrick O’Connor

War, refugees and resettlement are in the news again and Launceston people are concerned about their families who have escaped or are trying to escape.

For decades, people from war-torn countries have made their homes in Australia, become citizens, boosted our economy and contributed to our professions, creative life and labour force.

Ukraine is in the news every day and Afghanistan has been in the news since the Taliban takeover last August.

The local Afghan community is sponsoring a forum for voters to meet Bass candidates and ask questions. The Labor, Green and Liberal candidates will be on the panel, along with an immigration expert from the Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service.  There will also be an interpreter.

Yousef Mohammadi of Launceston says: “Over the past 8-9 years we have built a strong and vibrant Afghan/ Hazara community here with the help of community volunteers, and over 65 families have made this beautiful regional city our home. Most of us are now Australian citizens. We work hard, our children study hard and have great dreams and positive futures here,”

He added, “What happened in Afghanistan in August last year since the takeover by the Taliban is a catastrophe for our families there, who are the persecuted Hazara minority. We all have stories of Hazara people and vulnerable women being targeted and terrorised by the Taliban and their human rights violated every day under Taliban rule. Many have tried to flee to neighbouring countries. Some have made it…and some haven’t.”

“This situation is having serious effects on the mental health of our families here…it’s like torture…We are struggling to come to terms with our helplessness to offer them hope and a way to safety.”

“Recently the government shuffled existing visa quotas, to make it look like action was being taken on Afghanistan, instead of making an increase in the visa quota as happened in the Syrian crisis, to allow our family members to come to safety in Australia.”