24 Dec 2004 from Ian Anderson and Howard Glenn

A Christmas Newsletter for you from A Just Australia. In this bulletin:

As outlined in the Facts and Statistics section of our website, there are over two hundred people who sought asylum in Australia, and have been kept in detention for over three years now. The current media attention on the Bakhtiari family?s situation, and the protests at Baxter, seems to miss the point that there is still a long way to go before there is a fair, fast and transparent refugee determination process in Australia. Discussions we had with the Minister and Department about ways of more speedily resolving some of these long standing cases have not yet been successful, with months of delay and non-responses to our contact with her and her office. It is little wonder that people kept in detention for so long resort to the third consecutive summer of protest.

?Human Rights Award for ?Refuge Australia?

The book commissioned by A Just Australia which documents the history of Australia?s response to refugees has been awarded the 2004 Human Rights Arts Non-Fiction Award.

Refuge Australia, written by Klaus Neumann, an author, historian and senior research fellow at the Institute of Social Research at Swinburne University of Technology, provides fresh insights that illuminate the social and political forces that have shaped Australia?s refugee policy.

The judges described Refuge Australia as a highly readable account of Australia?s long history of debate about refugees and asylum seekers. Drawing together thousands of personal stories of refugees seeking refuge in Australia between 1930 and 1970 and original government documents, the book describes Australia?s ambivalent attitude to refugees in a cool, clear tone.

?In so doing, Klaus Neumann doesn?t prejudge the issues. Rather, he allows readers to arrive at their own conclusions. Refuge Australia does, however, leave the reader with a sense of optimism and the idea that change is possible.

In the midst of widespread community debate about Australia?s current treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, Refuge Australia provides an important historical context in which to examine these issues. It?s also a great read.?

?Reconsidering a role for A Just Australia

At the last meeting of the Board of Australians for Just Refugee Programs Inc, which campaigns as A Just Australia, it was agreed that the organisation would wind down and devolve campaign activities to other organisations, as reported in our last newsletter. In considering how to do this, the Executive Committee of the Board has had a proposal from Oxfam Australia and the Edmund Rice Centre that we cooperate with them to maintain some campaign work. In particular, we are considering acting as a broker or clearing house for information about campaigns and policies, and through our website and newsletter, providing advice on current issues and what to do about them.

We?ll be considering further ideas for this work in the New Year, and how to apply our remaining resources to a trial of this work. The Board will meet again in February after which we can advise more fully.

?A Just Australia separate to Rights Australia

There were some queries and some confusion from the last newsletter regarding the new organisation mentioned, Rights Australia Inc. To clarify this, please note that Howard Glenn has finished (21 December 2004) as National Director of A Just Australia (Australians for Just Refugee Programs Inc) and has taken up a role with Rights Australia Inc ? a new organisation which will have a broader scope of work, but including on asylum seeker issues. While Howard will continue voluntary involvement with AJA and participation on its Executive Committee, Rights Australia is a separate organisation, and not a continuation of AJA which is wholly independent of it. There is no transfer of resources from one to the other. If you want to contact Howard in future, you can email him at howard.glenn@rightsaustralia.org.au

There are of course many other continuing refugee and asylum seeker agencies, and most of these are listed as Organisational Supporters on our website. There was no intention in the last newsletter to suggest that Rights Australia was a preferred vehicle for your continuing involvement.

?Future Contact Details

The Sydney National Office of A Just Australia has closed pending resolution of A Just Australia?s ongoing role. Mail addressed to PO Box 559 Surry Hills will be forwarded to the Executive Committee, and email to mail@ajustaustralia.com will be dealt with ? but a little slowly over the holiday period. For more urgent contact, email to Chair of Australians for Just Refugee Programs, Ian Anderson ? at ian.anderson@ajustaustralia.com We will be contacting regular donors once the Board has decided on the future directions and inviting continuing support, once we are clear about the nature of ongoing work.

Meanwhile, best wishes for the holiday period.

Ian Anderson

Chair

Howard Glenn

National Director (until 21 December)

A Just Australia (Australians for Just Refugee Programs Inc)

24 December 2004