Tuesday, 27 June, 2023
Lilydale
Supported housing boost for district
School turns to tech to combat vaping, bullying
Repair cafe opens in Chirnside Park
Mooroolbark author launches first children’s book
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Tributes for RSL leader Former Mount Evelyn RSL president Roger Boness died late last week at the age of 77. The shock rippled through the town when the news came on 21 June. Mr Boness put his service to the community above all, particularly returned service personnel, becoming a well known and loved figure in Mount Evelyn. Remembered for his service in the Vietnam War and continued betterment of the recognition of his fellow service men and women, Mr Boness worked towards improving not only his immediate community but the broader acknowledgement of those who have returned from war. Tributes to Mr Boness can be read on page 13 Roger Boness, 77, died on 21 June. He was a loved member of the Mount Evelyn community. 232205 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Fight for rights A group of grandmothers and friends joined to both commemorate and celebrate World Refugee Day on Tuesday 20 June to discuss the ongoing detention of displaced persons in Australia. Advocacy group Casey Grandmothers for Refugees invited Sister Brigid Arthur from the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project to speak to members and guests about the current situation occurring when it comes to helping house and support asylum seekers and refugees. Through the work Sister Brigid and a small group of volunteers do, they have helped give
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hundreds of people accommodation, legal guidance and work opportunities, as well as financial support. “The government doesn’t give any actual income to people seeking asylum,” she said. “If they can work, then it’s good to help them get a job but if they can’t work for all sorts of reasons, then they need not only a roof over their head, they need some minimal, at least, money to survive on.” Despite some positive changes being made to process visa applications, Casey Grandmothers coordinator Prue Licht said
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more could be done. “[The government is] in the process of changing the visa status for a very large group of people but there’s still a lot of people left behind, whose visa status is still uncertain, and they still have no certainty,” she said. Working together for one outcome Sister Brigid and Prue said creates a network of support and raises the voice of people seeking a safe place to live and work. Both women said even with the work they are doing, the Australian government keeps open discriminating policies to deter people
coming to this country but through more people asking for change, speaking to their MPs and raising their own voice, Australia can one day more forward, away from hurtful policy. “What I’m passionate about is how asylum seekers have been vilified and treated inhumanely at an official level by successive governments and hopefully that’s changing and hopefully we can enshrine some of those changes in new laws so it doesn’t happen again.” Story page 7
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