Wicki Wickiramasingham Archives

Grounds for more ‘compassion’-By Cam Lucadou-Wells Wicki Wickiramasingham says Afghan refugees are languishing on island detention centres. 202268_02 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS A Dandenong migration agent has called for the Federal Government to open up its intake of Afghan refugees out of “compassion”. In the wake of the Taliban taking control of Afghanistan, Thay-Horn Yim welcomed at least 3000 humanitarian visas for Afghan refugees, as well as partner-spouse travel exemptions for fiances. He said the 3000 places should not come from the current 13,750 cap on humanitarian visa numbers, but as extra places. Mr Yim said the government should also revoke Direction 80 which puts Afghan refugee sponsors who arrived to Australia by boat as the “lowest priority” for spouse and dependent visas. Refugees faced “severe distress” as they faced separations of more than 10 years from their spouses and families. ...

Donations near $100K for grieving family By Cam Lucadou-Wells Source:-dandenong A rallying community has so far donated more than $97,000 to support a grief-stricken family who lost their four-year-old boy in a house fire in Dandenong. Rithish Kirushnaneethan died despite desperate attempts to rescue him from his bedroom as his family home in Leonard Street was engulfed in flames about 10pm on Sunday 25 July. Victorian Tamil Association as well as a separate Go Fund Me page have been set up to collect cash and donations for the shattered and homeless family. The asylum-seeker family lost all of their savings and belongings in the awful inferno. As of 10.30am on 27 July, the Go Fund Me page had collected more than $90,000 from nearly 1500 donors. All proceeds will go towards Rithish’s funeral expenses as well as accommodation, furniture, clothing, and food for the family. Tamil Community Association secretary Murugesu ...