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Thank God for Australia ’s long arms that stretch to support refugees fleeing danger in their countries
The Australia Day ceremonies have shown how deeply refugees feel for Australia and its people, most vividly expressed in the proud, smiling faces at Citizenship ceremonies across the country. There are no words to truly express how it feels for a stateless person to receive the privilege of Citizenship in a country like Australia . Perhaps an approximation might be the experience of a person who has battled a serious illness, experiencing the borderline of death, only to recover and resume full health. It is a gift from God of priceless value. That is why refugees appreciate Citizenship so much.
While understanding the Government’s emphasis on Citizenship criteria, I would like to draw attention to the inadvertent downside that extending the waiting time from 2 to 4 years could have for refugees. Firstly, the extension may make it harder to find work as some jobs, especially government work, require Citizenship. Secondly, refugees would not be able to travel readily as they lack passports. This would impact particularly on elderly people who may not have a lot of time to see relatives overseas, but also on younger people with aged relatives abroad. The extension of time could mean family members may die without seeing each other again.
There is no doubt all refugees want to learn English, and try very hard to find good schools with good teachers to support the fastest possible acquisition of English. However, it is recognized that older people everywhere are slower to learn a new language. The English language requirement may therefore be an inadvertent barrier to older refugees, particularly if there is not sufficient flexibility in the English teaching system to meet their educational needs. It would be tragic to exclude older people from Citizenship in this way as they have often suffered for most of their life already and wish to feel like an Australian who fully belongs to this wonderful country.
I hope these suggestions help the Government to consider the way forward. In general, the full potential of refugees to contribute to Australia would be greatly bolstered by the sense of belonging and acceptance that only Citizenship can confer.
Akoc Manhiem
Director
Sudanese Lost Boys Association of Australia Inc.
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