Sounds of Sunday – Tres Amigas
From left to right the Tres Amigas performers are – Ann Palumbo, Inge Courtenay-Haentjes, Jane Andino, Paul Laszlo and Rev Leigh Gardiner... Read More
How does BMRSG help?
Many of the members of refugee households, supported by BMRSG, suffer from poor health and some suffer with chronic illness. Often this... Read More
Impressions of the RAR Conference 2022 – Katoomba
Hazara Women for Change by Brendan Doyle and Christine Mifsud The overall theme of the 2022 RAR Conference, “Connecting for Change”, expressed... Read More
Understanding the Strengthening the Character Test Bill
Trying to understand the Strengthening the Character Test Bill 2021, passed by the House of Representatives this week? Dr Sangeetha Pillai has... Read More
Poster Entries in Poster and Video Competition 2021
Despite COVID and lockdown and home schooling we received some fantastic entries in our second Poster and Video Competition. View the videos... Read More
Calling out the porkies – Lunch with Jane Caro
Calling out the porkies used to persecute suffering people is vital. Jane Caro did just that at the BMRSG lunch on Sunday... Read More
A Refugee Week Message from the Traditional Owners
The Blue Mountains City Council Aboriginal Advisory Council (AAC) have said that they “support the idea to recognise International Refugee Day through events particularly highlighting some of the extremely difficult challenges faced by refugees.”
This is a powerful message of fellow feeling coming from a people who experience continued dispossession and racism
Blue Mountains Refugee Support Group would like to thank the ACC for their gracious response.
COVID-19 and BMRSG’s Response
Like everyone else the BMRSG community faced huge challenges when we were told to self isolate. But the refugees on various temporary visas faced much greater challenges. Distressing stories are coming through all the time about situations where jobs have been lost; people have been exposed to COVID 19 and expected to self isolate in crowded accommodation. Those on bridging visas, and that is most households we visit, have virtually no Covid19 related entitlements or general Centrelink access. They also may or may not have Medicare entitlements
Two young men, two very different stories. Who Are We? Part 2
Two young men, both left their home countries aged 3. Both now call the Blue Mountains home and are part of the BMRSG community. But two very different stories.
Read part 2 in our series Who Are We?