Expert panel discusses justice for refugees

ABOUT 300 people gathered to hear an expert panel discuss ways to create justice for refugees during a forum last month.

The Changing Times: Creating Justice for Refugees forum was initiated by local refugee advocacy group, Bellarine for Refugees, and organised by Deakin University in collaboration with Refugee Legal, Barwon Community Legal Service and Combined Refugee Action Groups (CRAG).

It posed questions like “Ever wondered what you can do to help support refugees in this country and protect the rights of some of the most vulnerable members of our community?” and “What are governments in our region and beyond doing to resolve the issues surrounding how to best manage the roughly 68 million displaced people worldwide in ways which respect their human rights and dignity?”

Deakin University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander introduced the speakers and the conversation was moderated by Professor Greg Barton, also from Deakin.

The speakers were David Manne from Refugee Legal; Professor Gillian Triggs, former president of the Australian Human Rights Commission; and academic and former UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, Professor Erika Feller. All have extensive experience working for justice for refugees in Australia and overseas.

Their ideas ranged from the need for Australia to adopt a Charter of Rights to protect vulnerable members of our community, to the value of collaboration between community-based refugee advocacy groups and legal centres, and initiatives to find global solutions through the UNHCR’s Global Compact on Refugees to which the Australian government is a signatory.

“It was wonderful to see the capacity crowd so completely engaged with these three highly regarded experts in the fields of refugee law and policy”, cofounder and previous chair of Bellarine for Refugees Margaret Griffith said.

All speakers called for a more compassionate refugee policy environment.

If you are interested in finding out more about Bellarine for Refugees, visit bellarine4r@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook.