One year on from the Cronulla race riots that shamed Australia internationally, St John's, Sutherland, are presenting a fresh vision for their Shire " as a place welcoming of refugees.
"In light of the Cronulla riots it was clear that more discussion and understanding about people who share multiple racial and cultural identities was needed," says Faye Hiller who is part of a group from the church who organised a community forum called Refugees "
Beyond the Headlines: Taking a humane approach to resettlement.
"Our vision is for the Sutherland Shire to be an area of Sydney that leads in being open and supportive of cultural difference."
Christian speakers at the forum include local MP Bruce Baird MP who has been involved in helping refugees; Iranian asylum seeker Amir Mesrinejad, who spent five years at Villawood Detention Centre, and Chris Denegris, a member of St Phillip’s, Caringbah, who is involved in the resettlement of Sudanese refugees.
"The decision to run a public discussion on refugee resettlement was an acknowledgement of the refugee families we have resettling in our area and the needs they have, the difficulties refugees face in resettlement generally and the implications this has on communities," says Ms Hiller.
"In mono-cultural parts of Sydney prejudices can quickly develop as small numbers from different cultures stand out. There is also the potential to develop a fear of unknown ‘others’ who are ‘out there’."
Ms Hillier says that as the Sutherland Shire becomes more multicultural through refugee resettlement, it is important that the public is involved in discussion about the changes in order to protect against racial stereotyping and hostility.
"It is only through understanding an issue and talking about it that we can hope to educate and improve the situation," she says.
Ms Hillier is particularly disappointed that asylum seekers have been politicized in recent years.
"Asylum seekers have been branded as "queue jumpers' or possible "terrorists' making public opinion towards them very negative. The less supportive the Australian community is of refugees the more difficult the resettlement process is," she says.
"Injustice occurs daily in Australia and world wide and it is important that Christians care and advocate for those who are vulnerable and disenfranchised such as asylum seekers."
