Campaign - Keep a family together - Urgent Help Required
Nobert Eltran is desperate in his quest to stay in Australia. A Sri Lankan, he arrived by boat in 2013 and is on a Bridging Visa. He has just lodged a request with the Immigration Minister, Andrew Giles, to intervene in his case and his visa has been extended until May 10th, 2023. A final decision from the Minister is still pending. He has been advised that he will be deported to his place of birth, Sri Lanka, unless he departs voluntarily. Nobert has lived most of his life in refugee camps in India.
Nobert married Vinotha 4 years ago and they have a 9 month old son, David. Vinotha who suffers chronic ill health has a SHEV and with the very welcome recent announcement by Labor she will progress to a pathway for permanency. Nobert unfortunately has been caught up in the ill conceived 'fast track' system designed by the previous government which has led to so many unfair situations.
If Nobert was returned to Sri Lanka it would be a tragedy for his family. He is integral to the well being of his wife and child. He is a person of high integrity and deep faith who has made a significant contribution to the community during his time in Australia. He has worked in disability and aged care and other roles including waste recycling. He is a much loved member of the community. He has been resident in South Australia for 12 months in the Elizabeth area and is currently visiting Queensland where he lived previously.
Show your support for Nobert and his family by writing to the Minister for Immigration to register your support for him.
A letter draft is below, however you may wish to compose it, in your own words.
Letter Draft:
Dear Minister Giles
I am a supporter of Nobert Eltran who has a current request that you use your Ministerial powers to intervene in his case to grant him a pathway to permanent residence in Australia with his wife and child.
I acknowledge the extension of his Bridging Visa until May 10th as an encouraging step forward.
I wish to reiterate that Nobert is a person of great integrity who is already making a significant contribution in the Australian community.
Your positive intervention would bring great joy to him and his family, who has been through so much yet has so much to give.
Yours sincerely
Campaign - Four Priorities for Change
1. Replacing Temporary Protection Visas with a pathway to permanency
2. Improving access to tertiary education for refugees and people seeking asylum.
3. Increasing Australia’s humanitarian, family reunion and refugee intake overall, as well as increasing the intake from Afghanistan to 20,000.
4. Ending indefinite offshore and onshore detention for refugees and people seeking asylum.
As a focal point for our campaign and advocacy engagement the J4RSA Management Committee has developed the Four Priorities for Change
These priorities for change were first developed in 2022 as part of the 2022 federal election campaign and since then J4RSA has continued to focus on these four areas of importance.
During the federal election campaign J4RSA Management Committee, supporters and members, were busy working tirelessly to engage and meet with sitting MPs, Senators and candidates in key seats around SA. This engagement has also including writing to candidates and going to local candidate forums. We also held How To Meet Your MP webinars for young supporters.
Since the election the Management Committee have continued their campaigning and advocacy on these priorities, by meeting with the newly elected Federal and State members of Parliament, as well and building awareness and understanding in the broader community.
J4RSA has also continued to work in collaboration with over 140 organisation around Australia.
- ‘They give up on their education. A lot of talented students that the education system fails. I’m here, hopeful that I’ll get an opportunity to go to uni so I can get my Bachelor of Nursing and help others’ – Mani
- ‘How can you support yourself when you have to maintain your GPA and work simultaneously?’ – Bella
- ‘Those young people are lost to the system. Their intellect is lost to us. And everything they bring is lost to us’ – Eva
- ‘This is reflective of a broader problem with the way we treat refugees. It is just unacceptable that we don’t give people living in this country civil and liberal rights. Education is one example of how people on TPVs are treated, but there are many others’ – Alex
Justice for Refugees SA has given a priority this year to identifying and challenging the significant barriers to tertiary education for students on particular visas. Their education often halts at the end of secondary school because they are expected to pay international fees to enrol in university, which is financially prohibitive. The above quotes came from the wonderful speakers at our AGM, held 31 March 2021.
This issue directly impacts many refugees in our community. You can read more about it here. Recent media attention shows the importance of this issue, and that it’s time to approach media and government and ensure something is done.
- ‘A life in limbo’, ABC News, 7 March 2021
- ”Incredibly onerous’: refugees lured by hope of a visa that’s near-impossible to secure’, The New Daily, 7 March 2021
- ‘Scholarship helped refugee Parastoo Bahrami fulfill education dream’, ABC News, 11 March 2021
Education is the key to transforming people’s lives in a myriad of ways. When education opportunities are denied, it means many refugees remain in limbo. They cannot contribute to society in meaningful ways that reflect their competencies and capacities.
We want you to be involved in our education campaign. Email us at info@justiceforrefugeessa.org and let us know you want to stay informed about any updates. We are taking our first steps and will have exciting news soon.
