While some sections of the Australian community come together to ‘celebrate’ Refugee Week during October 9-16, there are many families and children whose lives are tainted by the word ‘refugeee'.

According to Dr Susan Rees, principal researcher with the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, based at CQU Mackay, “ Celebrate is not the best choice of word".

Mackay City Council Mayor Julie Boyd, Councillors Don Rolls and Joan Williamson and Year 11 students from Mackay State High School were among the 60 guests who attended a recent Community Breakfast Forum and listened with interest as Dr Rees presented on the topic of ‘Rural Australians for Refugees\'.

Also in attendance was Sister Denise Hinton, a Sister of Mercy who has been assisting refugees to resettle in Australia since 1992.

During her presentation Dr Rees, a member of the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) and a founding member of Mackay Rural Australians for Refugees, highlighted the humanity of all refugees who seek asylum in Australia. She emphasised the importance of understanding prior experiences of trauma and abuse in the home country, the detention experiences on arrival in Australia, and the impact these experiences have on the ability to settle in this country.

“Past traumas, the fear of being forced to return to their home country and the lack of stability in their lives has a dramatic impact on refugee well being, affecting both psychological and physical health,” said Dr Rees.

During her presentation Dr Rees talked about Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR), an organisation that aims to get to the heart of the refugee crisis that is happening in Australia at this moment. According to its website “RAR is an informal group of concerned citizens who are prepared to work hard to turn this country away from an inhumane and bizarre policy [which sees refugees, including children, detained for up to six years].\\\".

Dr Rees continues to research, publish and develop policy responses in this area and during the course of her research she has uncovered the need for supportive re-settlement policies for refugee families.

“Policies that don’t involve the removal of children from the care of one or both of their parents, and policies that dramatically reduce the amount of time spent in detention environments and allow refugees to live in local communities with government support, are consistent with a more humane and sensible approach,” she said.

“While claiming to recognise the need for improved child protection laws in our country, the government has forgotten to adequately address the appalling abuse of children currently housed in our detention centres.\\\".

Dr Rees, who has been active in refugee research for the past five years, is not satisfied with the current level of government commitment to dealing with this issue and proposes that all Australians can take action to change policies.

To find out what you can do to assist the plight of refugees in Australia, go to the RAR website at www.ruralaustraliansforrefugees.org or contact RAR Mackay on 4940 7833 to find out about their next meeting and planned activities.

Photo above: The Refugee Week display set up in the foyer of CQU Mackay by TAFE teacher Dorne Wallace and students Alleny Gorrion, Lyn McGrath and Mekaela Jones.

Photo left: Research fellow with the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, Dr Susan Rees, was guest speaker at the Refugee Week Community Breakfast Forum.