Government refugee stance ‘unhelpful’

Jeremy Halcrow | 29 October 2007

Font size: + - | print | email to a friend

Sydney’s Sudanese Christians have labelled Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews’ comment that they are failing to integrate into Australian society as ‘unhelpful’ and ‘really disappointing’.

The Rev Lual Doong, who pastors the Sudanese Anglican congregation at Wentworthville, disputed Kevin Andrews’ claim that Sudanese refugees have found it more difficult than other ethnic groups to integrate into Australian society.

“It’s not correct,” he said. “Just because of a few troublemakers doesn’t mean the rest of the Sudanese community isn’t integrating well.”

Anglicare’s CEO Peter Kell also voiced his concern at the Immigration Minister’s comments. Anglicare has worked with refugees for decades, including those from Southern Sudan since the late 1990s.

“It is the experience of our Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Service (IHSS) program staff that African refugees successfully settle into the Australian community to the same extent as refugees from other parts of the world… With the appropriate support in place, refugees supported by Anglicare Sydney have settled very successfully.”

Support from local Sydney Christians has also been key. “What we have learned is that settlement is a process that does not happen in isolation. The more we reach out to new refugees in support and friendship, the faster and easier it will be for them to become a part of the life we enjoy in Australia.”

Mr Doong said the Sudanese need to find refuge in places like Australia now more than ever, despite the peace treaty signed for Southern Sudan two years ago. “The war in Sudan is worse than ever before, with many people being killed,” said Mr Doong. “People are still afraid that the [Sudanese] Government will not implement the peace process.”

However Mr Doong added that most Sudanese in Sydney believe Mr Andrews ‘is not speaking on behalf of the Australian people’, and that they have felt ‘welcomed in Australia’.

Political expediency

In an exclusive interview conducted before the latest furore over Sudanese refugees, a Liberal backbencher who helped roll back mandatory detention policies says the Government’s approach to refugee issues has often been driven by political expediency.

Bruce Baird, the retiring member for the Sutherland Shire electorate of Cook, does not believe the push to toughen refugee laws has been about principled policy.

“It’s electorally popular,” says the well-known Christian politician who attends St Luke’s, Miranda. “The election in 2001 was [won on] Tampa and September 11. So that proved very successful. If it proves successful then [the Government] will try it again.”

Click here to comment on this article for the next edition of Southern Cross