MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday, 10 November 2004
CONTACT: KAYE BERNARD (08) 9535 6660 Email:
Aussie Champion Betty Cuthbert Champions Kids' Rights
Australian Olympic champion, Betty Cuthbert will be visiting the kids on Christmas Island to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child on the 20th November 2004.
The visit will COMMENCE ON THE 18 November 2004.
Betty will be visiting the local school and meeting the kids there and presenting awards at the year 12-graduation ceremony.
The 10 Vietnamese Asylum Seeker Kids on Christmas Island will also get an opportunity to talk to Betty about her life achievements.
NATIONAL AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN'S ARTWORK EXHIBITION
Betty will open an exhibition of National children�s artwork compiled from submissions from over 300 schools Australia wide including local Christmas Island School Children.
Sir William Deane recently opened the Sydney exhibition for this outstanding display of remembrance for the SIEV X victims by Australian children.
SIEVX MEMORIAL SERVICE
Inter faith memorial service for the 353 people who died trying to reach Christmas Island.
That local community will dedicate a memorial seat of remembrance with the memorial plaque overlooking Flying Fish Cove in front of the Colonial Administrator's house.
The stately heritage listed house faces due north , exactly where Siev x would have come from had it not sunk with the loss of so many lives.
http://www.sievxmemorial.com/sievxstory.html
DR MARY CROCK
Will be visiting (22 � 25 November) the 41 Hao Kiet Asylum seekers now held on Christmas Island for over 19 months. There are 10 children amongst this group. The youngest is a 6 months old baby.
Dr Crock has recently begun an international research project on separated and unaccompanied children with Professor Jacqueline Bhabha at Harvard University.
The aim of the research is to create awareness of how children travelling alone are treated in three countries (the UK, the US and Australia); to look critically at the relevant laws, polices and practices; and to formulate proposals for changes based on what the study finds to be 'best practice' approaches to a complex problem.
Talks and interviews will be held with young asylum seekers in each country, with government officials, judges, advocates, social workers and others. The research is or has been funded by the Australian Research Council, the MacArthur Foundation in Chicago.
http://www.usyd.edu.au/research/humanities_and_social_sciences/our_people/staff_profiles/mary_crock.shtml
SENATOR ANDREW BARTLETT
Senator Bartlett will finally get to meet with the Hao Kiet people after having made efforts in 2003 to meet with them on Christmas Island when they were shunted there aboard the HMAS Canberra.
Govt denies conspiracy over boat people - smh.com.au [July 5 2003]
Senator Bartlett will tour the Christmas Island construction site of the $130million plus new detention facility.
Senator Bartlett will be meeting with local community members and discussing the future prospects of the Island along with the impact of a detention facility in their community.
SHADOW IMMIGRATION MINISTER stands up for Hao Kiet Asylum Seeker
Shadow Minister for Immigration, Laurie Ferguson has called on Amanda Vanstone to give a sympathetic pardon to a Hao Kiet Asylum seeker whom he describes as a man with �conscientious endeavours to assist these people escape persecution.�
CONTACT: KAYE BERNARD (08) 9535 6660
Email: