A Local Government campaign that highlighted the plight of East Timorese children in Australia to stop their community’s deportation has received international recognition. The campaign by the City of Yarra with the public relations consultancy Socom received the ‘Golden World United Nations Award’ for 2003 for its ‘Common Sense for East Timorese – Let Them Stay’ advocacy campaign.
The campaign also involved the cooperation of mayors of all eight Victorian municipalities where East Timorese people lived. There was also liaison with the people representing East Timorese living in the Northern Territory who faced the same problem.
The work of the City of Yarra was selected from one of six international campaigns that advanced the aims of the United Nations.
Before the campaign in 2002, the entire community faced deportation. As a direct result of the campaign, which involved lobbying of Federal Government Ministers, the majority of Yarra’s East Timorese community have been granted permanent residency status.
The ‘Common Sense for East Timorese – Let Them Stay’ campaign was developed by the Yarra City Council after the East Timorese people in its municipality began receiving letters from the Australian Immigration Department in January 2003 advising them they had 28 days to leave the country. The campaign highlighted the plight of refugees’ children – many of whom had never seen East Timor.
During the campaign the then Federal Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, announced he would use his powers of ministerial discretion to give permanent residency to most of the East Timorese. Yarra Mayor, Greg Barber, has welcomed the award, saying it represented what can be achieved when Councils are in touch with values and concerns of their community. He said the Local Government worked in partnership to advocate in areas normally outside Council’s role.
Councillor Barber applauded the compassion, resolve and leadership of the local community and key decision makers, including the former and current Federal Ministers for Immigration.
