At the time of this event I was working as an Accommodation Support Worker at Anglicare Tasmania. My role included supporting community members experiencing homelessness (primary homelessness), or at significant risk of homelessness (sleeping on a friend’s couch, otherwise known as secondary homelessness). As a Commonwealth government funded program (Supported Accommodation Assistance Program) the funding body would also engage our service when there were families or groups relocating to Launceston in urgent need of support. In August 2001, a group of 20 Afghan men on Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) landed in Launceston. In my professional role, I worked with Centrelink and other support agencies to find medium to long term accommodation for the refugees. It was several months into this work that my understanding of the plight of Afghan refugees expanded, and I worked with others in the community to share their stories to counter the perceptions of some in the community that the refugees were economic migrants and, at the more extreme end of community concern, terrorists. See Afghan Narratives post.

In December of 2002, a refugee family that had been residing in Launceston had their Temporary Protection Visa cancelled. At night, the Australian Federal Police and Department of Immigration Officers entered the family residence and transported two adults and four children, via a charter flight, to Baxter Detention Centre in South Australia. Community members expressed their deep concern immediately. The Department of Immigration justified the action on the grounds that the father of the family, Mohib, was not who he claimed to be (suggesting he was Ali Bakhtiyari’s brother).

I supported the community to raise funds to support legal applications and appeals for the family. Registered Migration Agent, Marion Le, represented the family and, at some risk, travelled to Afghanistan to collect evidence that Mohib was the man he said he was. While the legal process took place, I worked with others in the community to keep attention focused on this injustice.  The release of the mother and children back to Launceston was celebrated by the community, however Mohib’s ongoing detention was arbitrary and cruel. After many months Mohib’s TPV was reinstated and he returned to work and to contribute to the community. The family was granted permanent residency more than two years later.

ABC News Coverage

27 February 2003 – Refugee supporters aim to raise appeal funds

7 March 2003 – Refugee family awaits lawyer’s return

31 March 2003 – Lawyer confident Minister to prevent deportation

1 April 2003 – Lawyer not giving up on reuniting family

3 April 2003 – Tribunal seek more evidence from refugee family

13 April 2003 – Refugee family’s fight continues

15 April 2003 – Afghan refugee returns to family in Launceston

16 May 2003 – Refugee family faces tribunal for visa extension

18 May 2003 – Launceston gives reunited refugees a welcome home 

20 June 2003 – Tribunal to make Sarwari visa decision today

20 June 2003 – Refugee family wins appeal for temporary visa

20 June 2003 – Ruddock slams decision to allow refugee family temporary visas

8 September 2005 – Asylum seeker family granted permanent residency

12 September 2005 – Celebrations after family granted permission to stay in country

Link to A Just Australia Awards 2003