Welcome to the RAR web site

Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) began in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales in October 2001. We are an informal group of concerned citizens working hard to turn this country away from an inhumane and bizarre policy. Anne Coombs one of the founders of RAR has written an excellent article entitled Mobilising Rural Australia, published in the Autumn edition of the Griffith Review - A must read for anyone wanting an overview and history of this dynamic network.

There are over ninety RAR groups throughout Australia reaching out to approximately 15,000 members and friends and we're still growing strong. The basis of our charter is a 10 Point Plan, which since 2002 has represented our specific goals. RAR has recommitted to the ten point plan at the 2005 RAR National Conference

. Questions on Notice re Further Protection Visas Question taken on notice - Additional Estimates Hearing : 15 February 2005 regarding Refugee and Humanitarian Entry and Stay provides responses from the DIMIA in relation to TPV's and statistical information on other classes of visa have been granted to people on temporary protection visas as a result of the Minister's announcement of "permanent protection options" prior to last year's election [read more ...]

. The new Removal Pending Bridging Visa will only benefit a very small number of long-term detainees. The government needs to do much more to address the failing of Australia's detention policy. We call on the Howard Government for an end to mandatory detention and the ongoing abuse of human rights! [read more ...]

. Baxter News Read the latest newsletter from asylum seekers detained in Baxter detention centre [read the latest newsletter]

. Eye witness report of deportation "I need to tell this brief chapter of this man's story as it is also our story. It is a story of what our nation sees as a reasonable measure to protect our borders." [read more ...]

. Cost of Immigration Detention 2003 - 2004 The Average cost of detention for the last financial year is $87 million per year. In addition $230 million has been spent in the past 3 years on capital costs of detention centres [read more ...]

. Cornelia Rau on Christmas Island The Australian Governments plans to construct a $360 million dollar detention facility on Christmas Island - The Palmer Inquiry must investigate the potential for remote detention to further exasperate the future possibility of those wrongly held. [read more ...]

. Refugee Charter The Refugee Council of Australia has developed a new advocacy tool for advocates to use - a Charter for asylum seekers and refugees' rights [download charter...]

[ Read the latest Issue | Previous Issues ]