Ballarat RAR

Ballarat RAR has fortnightly Monday rallies 11am – noon outside local M.P Catherine King’s office Lydiard St. Ballarat, and highlights particular issues of the day, such as ‘Time For A Home’ campaign. It’s a good way to communicate directly to the Ballarat community and also to gauge public attitudes to refugees and people seeking asylum. Generally the response is positive, with many toots by drivers passing by, as well as interesting conversations with people walking by.  (2021).

 

Ballarat RAR members supported the Memory Walk and Jog in Ballarat on 18th April 2021. 

Members were at the finishing line with banner flying cheering in member David McPhail after his run around Lake Wendouree. The event was to show people living with dementia they’re not alone.

 

 

#7yearstoolong – 19 July 2020

Ballarat RAR and along with other members of the community braved a chilly wet morning yesterday with a ‘Covid-19 Save’ rally, all masked up and physically distanced with a call out #7YearsTooLong.

Ballarat media have been very supportive in advertising this event given the sensitivities of rallying during the pandemic.

Courier article link

June 2020 National Refugee Week

Ballarat RAR has created a short video for refugee week, to highlight the various actions we have taken in the last 18months – Rallies, book launches and fundraisers in support of refugees and asylum seekers in Ballarat and nationally.

 

Ballarat RAR Promotion Video

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Ballarat RAR continues a call for donations to help refugees and asylum seekers living in Ballarat. There are 30 refugee households in Ballarat who because of COVID-19 are in desperate need. Many of these people are without work rights, and have been excluded from the government’s emergency relief packages. (see flyer re. bank info). Money received goes directly to these people to help them with their everyday expenses such as utility bills, rent, clothing, food, educational, medical, car, mobile phone, and internet. Thank you for the generous donations received and your continuing support.

Refugees in Ballarat are speaking up about in the hardships they are suffering particularly due to Covid-19 restrictions, and being excluded from the government’s emergency funding packets.
Susan Dahal spoke to ABC radio and ABC TV yesterday. see link below.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-31/asylum-seekers-refugees-risk-homelessness-coronavirus-funding/12301860?fbclid=IwAR3THDFyRt02qM9djwKltamhc6jlG7_n0RO1mBR5S5h8zsNCwPTWhoNfmYQ

Maureen Doonan, member of Ballarat RAR, was interviewed by ABC local radio this morning regarding our concerns for the hardship of refugees and asylum seekers in Ballarat, and how Ballarat RAR is helping with limited resources.

Maureen Riches, member of Ballarat RAR regularly has articles in the local Courier newspaper regarding the great concerns for refugees and asylum seekers in Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre. Click to view the latest courier newspaper article.

Please help by donating.

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This Courier newspaper article ‘Neil Para named as one of Australia’s best neighbours’ is about Neil and Sugaa and their 3 daughters, a family from Sri Lanka.
After their visas were discontinued some years ago, the family were left without any support from the government. Ballarat RAR and the community stepped in to help support the family.
Neil and Sugaa generously give back to the community volunteering in many ways.
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In Ballarat on the 17th November, in RUN 4 A CAUSE, Ballarat RAR was represented by Team MacPhail, running a half marathon to raise funds for refugees and asylum seekers living in the Ballarat region. The public has responded well to the cause, at this stage $2500 has been raised. What a great effort! Thanks to David and Sophia MacPhail and Lassie.

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A busy November coming up for Ballarat RAR!
Weekly Monday rally outside MP Catherine Kings Office, Lydiard, 11am – 12noon, the rally’s focus has been on Medevac.

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Ballarat RAR  meeting times :

Monthly meeting:  Third Wednesday of month at 7 pm, held at the Eastwood Leisure Complex, Eastwood St

Letter writing:       Second Tuesday of month  from 10am to  Noon at Ballarat Library

Peaceful demonstration weekly, every Monday from 11am to Noon in Lydiard St Nth (near Catherine King’s office)

For further information about Ballarat RAR contact:  

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Tecber Ahmed Saleh visited Ballarat on her campaign for her people in Western Sahara, hosted by Ballarat RAR, and Ballarat Trades Hall. 
Monday 9th September 2019, Ballarat Rural Australians for Refugees rallied with Tecber Ahmed Saleh with a call to “FREE WESTERN SAHARA : MOROCCO OUT NOW”, out on the main street of Ballarat, and outside MP Catherine King’s office in Lydiard St. Tecber later spoke in the Ballarat Trades Hall to a public gathering, highlighting the plight of her people displaced into refugee camps. And explained how Morroco exploits Western Sahara’s natural resources, such as phosphate, which is exported in large qualities to New Zealand, the main country supplied world wide. Read the Ballarat courier article about the event here. 

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Tampa Rally, 2019

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Ballarat RAR kicks off #5YearsTooMany Campaign
16-22 July 2018

30 people braved Ballarat’s cold 7 degrees winters day to attend rally.
Rally started at Catherine Kings office and all then at 11:30 processed down to Queen Victoria Square in front of the Town Hall  spending 45 minutes being very visible to traffic and pedestrians.
Ballarat RAR – 19 July 2018 – #5YearsTooMany
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A launch of Behrouz Boochani’s book ‘No Friend But the Mountains’, 8th May, at the Eureka Centre in Ballarat, a collaborative event with Ballarat City Library, and Courier (local newspaper). There was a live video link with Behrouz on Manus Is. with the audience being able to ask him questions. The venue was at the Eureka Centre in Ballarat, and the event was booked out very quickly. There was good media coverage, with a video of the event on the Courier webpage.
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Mark Isaacs talk on his latest book ‘The Kabul Peace Prize’, on 15th July, at the  Uniting Church Ballarat, with a great response from the community with a full house, and some media coverage. Mark’s talk stimulated a lot of conversation on the night, as he told of his experience in Afghanistan, spending time with Kabul’s young people as they strive for peace by actively breaking down prejudicial barriers. Courier newspaper link.
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Ballarat Refugee Week Program 2018

Ballarat RAR Convener, Kath Morton, is Ballarat Citizen of the Year

Ballarat’s Citizen of the Year winner Kath Morton has been recognised for her work to improve the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia.

Ms Morton is a foundation member of Ballarat Rural Australians for Refugees where she organises regular visits to people detained at Melbourne Immigration and Transit Accommodation in Melbourne, raises funds for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and lobbies the Federal Government seeking changes to refugee policy.

Read more about Ms Morton here.

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