NEWS
LATEST NEWS ITEMS AND MEDIA RELEASES FROM THE TASKFORCE
The Syrian Conflict and a Faithful Response
Léon Cognie’s image depicting the events of Matthew 2: 16-18 is based on the ordering of the massacre of all the boys 2 years and under, […]
Media Release: Australian Christian Churches Weep for the Massacre of the Innocents
March 15th 2018: The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) notes that the 15th March 2018 marks 7 years of conflict in Syria, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions displaced from their […]
Australian Christian Churches call for compassion for refugees
December 21st 2017: The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce calls on all members of Government to abandon the policy for those transferred to Nauru and Manus Island, to never be allowed entry to Australia.
As the Christian […]
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DIGNITY NOT DESTITUTION
Around 12,000 people seeking asylum in Australia may be at risk of losing core services and financial support due to Government changes in the Status Resolution Support Services. The SRSS is a regular payment to help with basic living costs for those who live in Australia awaiting a decision about their immigration status.
PRIVATE SPONSORSHIP TO AUSTRALIA
The ACRT, together with Save the Children, Refugee Council, Amnesty International and Welcome to Australia are recommending guiding principles for the new Community Support Program (CSP). This will enable members of the Australian community to sponsor visas for refugees who wish to rebuild their lives in Australia.
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Your donation will be used to support the various campaigns of the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce.
*The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce is an initiative of Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia, ABN 86 619 970 188.
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Citizenship legislation
For the first time ever, the public can vote for or against citizenship changes by completing a simple ‘yes/no’ online survey.
Can you take 30 seconds to say 'No' to Hanson's attack on citizenship laws?
The new laws aim to make citizenship harder to access, and unfairly disadvantage refugees who are desperate to build a future as part of the Australian community. We want to send a message that Australians do not support laws designed to exclude those who value citizenship the most.
Under the proposed changes, a person would need to be a permanent resident of Australia for eight years before applying for citizenship! Many refugees have already waited for years to achieve permanent residency, and under the new laws they could be living in Australia for well over a decade before having the chance to become citizens.
The new laws would also require people applying for citizenship to meet university-level English standards to become a citizen! Many of us would have relatives in our own lives who wouldn't meet this strict test.
Can you vote 'no' to laws that would exlcude thousands of people from citizenship in Australia?
Have you sponsored a refugee? Has your community sponsored a refugee together? Would you consider sponsoring a refugee?
The ACRT is collaborating with a range of agencies to improve the new new Community Support Program (CSP) encouraging community members to sponsor refugees to Australia.
The website will be launched shortly and we are looking for stories of the experience of sponsoring refugees, or some information about why people might consider it.
If you have a story please contact the ACRT Executive Officer Caz Coleman to share your experience ccoleman@actforpeace.or.au
The Taskforce Newsletter
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