Zaki Haidari, our former Refguee Volunteer and prominent refugee advocate has received his permanent protection status in Australia - affording him the protections Australia provides as a signatory to the Refugee Convention (1951) and other international instruments.

However, the journey is not over for many thousands of people who remain in limbo in Australia without a pathway to permanent settlement . The Edmund Rice Centre is committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with refugees and people seeking asylum in their ongoing struggles for dignity and safety.

Twenty Eighth Sunday of the Year

Isaiah shares God’s vison of shalom for all people, of a new gathering of peoples. Matthew also intends to teach us something about this in terms of a just human community and a just future. It involves peace-making; caring for the poor and creation; helping the voiceless find justice; tending to the sick and dying, as well as sitting with messy people. 

The Statement
Over six years ago, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates ‘from all points of the Southern sky’ gathered together and crafted the Uluru Statement from the Heart. They invited us to walk with them in a ‘movement of the Australian people for a better future’.

As representatives of the community sector, we stand ready to accept the generous invitation from First Nations peoples and take the next step towards that better future.

We will be saying ‘Yes’ at the referendum on October 14th, and we call on you to join us on this journey.