Australian Social Inclusion Board ...

Australian Social Inclusion Board



The following letter was mailed to all members of the Australian Social Inclusion Board, Friday 20th June 2008, no response as yet, (unfortunately there was typographical error in the phone number – the “36”, should have been “63”).

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Professor Fiona Stanley
…

Re: Australian Children and Women Trapped Overseas by Domestic Violence and Systemic and Judicial Abuse

Dear Professor Stanley,

Congratulations on your appointment to the newly created Australian Social Inclusion Board (as per media release 21st May 2008).

I am contacting you to beg for your and the Australian Social Inclusion Board’s assistance for Australian children and women trapped overseas by domestic violence and systemic and judicial abuse.

Information regarding my attempts to obtain safety, security and support for us and deal with the problems encountered in a foreign justice system where justice department employees misrepresent in court information from professionals regarding immigrant women and their children’s experience of domestic abuse can be found on the online resource I created in the form of a blog www.womenwhowant2gohome.blogspot.com (see posts “The Perils of Indifference…”, “Dear Mr Prime Minister …”, “A letter to our new prime minister …”, “Waiting and hoping …” and “Further out of view … further out of mind …”). Extensive documentation has been supplied to numerous government departments, politicians and advocacy organisations over many years in efforts to obtain support and assistance. The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard MP, Tanya Plibersek MP and Maxine McKew MP are a few of the people who have received relevant documentation and would be able to supply you with copies of that information.

This situation has been so traumatic that my eldest daughter attempted suicide and I still cannot get any assistance. I am extremely concerned for my children’s welfare, wellbeing and safety, my wellbeing and safety, the wellbeing and safety of the other Australian woman and her children mentioned in my online resource, all other children and women in this traumatic situation, concerned about security of my information and documents and personal possessions still in Canada and desperate for immediate intervention and assistance for all of us.

A guest speaker at the “Towards Better Practice: Enhancing collaboration between women’s mental health services and domestic violence services” seminar, hosted by Sydney University Faculty of Education and Social Work, (proceedings posted at the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse website) informed me that “female politicians will not speak up about these issues for fear of backlash” and that “the government will not do anything unless the media embarrasses them into it”. I am hoping that with the formation of this new board there are safer, more supportive and more immediate options now available to women and children who have experienced violence and are desperate to experience safety and social inclusion.

My priority is for my children and I and the other Australian mother and children mentioned in my online resource to be safely home in Australia with our families immediately, and for others in similar traumatic circumstances, who are unknown to me, to also receive immediate assistance and intervention - to provide the safety and justice we have been denied for so many years.

In his “Remarks to Inaugural Meeting of the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children” (04 June 2008) our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, states “The Government’s approach to tackling violence against women is also part of a broader framework of social inclusion. And very simply it is this. If you have a social inclusion agenda to build healthy communities, if it works effectively, and you have maximum participation in the nation’s social and economic opportunities, it usually generates a healthier web of relationships.” The media release regarding the first meeting of the Australian Social Inclusion Board (21 May 2008) refers to “priorities which are important to the social inclusion agenda …homelessness … mental health” and “children at risk”, all of which are challenges and issues for children and women who have experienced violence.

These issues need to be part of public and political discourse, and until my children and I are safe we need to not be in any way identifiable - knowing you can ask for assistance and remain safely anonymous would be an important factor in other women and families coming forward to share their information of similar experiences. When my children and I are safe I would like to use my experiential knowledge and extensive research to contribute to safety, security, support, sustainable futures and social inclusion for all children and women. I would be happy to become a member of the new Australian Social Inclusion Board and any other body that contributes to effective, practical, timely solutions to the health, governance, economic, well-being and sustainability challenges of our country, our region and our shared planet.

Immediate assistance, support and advocacy would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

….

Cc Ms Patricia Faulkner, Monsignor Cappo, Ms Linda White, Ms Kerry Graham, Mr Tony Nicholson, Dr Chris Sarra, Ms Elleni Bereded-Samuel, Dr Ngiare Brown, Dr Ron Edwards, Mr Eddie Maguire, Dr John Falzon, Mr Ahmed Fahour, Hon Professor Tony Vinson


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For further information see:

www.socialinclusion.gov.au Australian government website re Social Inclusion

www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2008/media_release_0256.cfm (21 May 2008) Media release re new Australian Social Inclusion Board

Previous post “Waiting and hoping …” which includes a letter to Julia Gillard MP (one of the ministers responsible for the new Board) and rejected nomination for the Australia 2020 Summit.