Bilingualism at work!

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Bloody disgraceful!

The lack of compassion shown towards the asylum seekers/refugees who attended funerals of those killed in the Christmas Island shipwreck is appalling. Scott Morrison’s insensitive comments (as opposition minister for rednecks apparently!) and the federal government should hang their heads in shame.

The photos in various newspapers showed the raw grief of distressed relatives and in particular, one Iranian boy, who survived the shipwreck.(Nick Moir’s photo as seen in the Sydney Morning Herald.) He  lost both his parents and a sibling. No words were needed. The photo said it all. His distress, his vulnerability is laid bare.

Today the government announced he would be released into his Aunty’s care. She will be his guardian. This was after he and many others, sat in a plane in the middle of a runway at Port Headland in Western Australia, stranded, as a cyclone was bearing down on Christmas Island where they were to be detained. Again.

How will he deal the the loss of his parents in a country he is unfamiliar with, where the language, the customs, behaviours, landscape are so different? Where is the security for him in this great time of distress? How is he even putting aside the horror of his experience in that terrifying storm that caused the shipwreck at Christmas Island?

As an aunty myself who has recently become the guardian of my nephew after the shocking and sudden death of his mum – my beautiful sister – I feel particularly sad for this Iranian boy. The distress, the overwhelming grief, anxiety, anger and 1001 other emotions that we are feeling at least are occurring in a familiar environment for us where we have some sense of safety. The Iranian boy doesn’t even have this luxury.

Bloody shameful day for Australia.

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Education across the decades- one group’s perpective

From rows to groups

From platforms to open plan

From walls to concertina

From conformity to creativity

From strap to restorative justice

From rote learning to when you’re ready to learn

From milk to water

From Green Catechism to Celebrating Our Journey

From marching to health hustle

Thanks to Antonella and her group for this insight! What a fun day we had today at the latest SSNP Leaderhip Team Day at Fairfield, Sydney.

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Face of Sydney

Gotta love multiculturalism! Interesting article in the Sydney Morning Herald about the average face of Sydney.

About time.

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