Category: Circle Stories

Tricia Dundon reflects 

Circle of Friends Australia began in May 2002 in response to the despair felt by many Australians about the treatment of asylum seekers who came by boat to our country. At this time David Winderlich and lawyers, who were visiting Woomera and Baxter Immigration and Processing Centres, devised a plan to help support families on their release from detention. I met with David, and he suggested that I take on the practical side of setting up a ‘circle of friends’ to implement this plan. And so, Circles of Friends was born. Our Circle, which we called “Belair/Human Services” or Circle 1, was the first of about 13 established in rapid succession.

The first family referred to Circle 1 by lawyers visiting Baxter were a couple with 3 children from Iran. Initially the whole family were being held behind razor wire in Baxter Centre.  Later, the mother and her children were moved to secure community housing in Port Augusta city.  Her husband was bussed in for visits with his family.

Thus began a period of nearly two years of political lobbying on behalf of the family advocating for their release. Over this time, we were in constant contact with the family, visiting, phoning, sending letters and parcel. Circle 1 member and SA Director of Amnesty International Nina Boydell led us strongly through this phase.

As Convenor of Circle 1, I was the support person for the family in the High Court, where they were represented by a pro bono QC and solicitor. The Commonwealth had two QCs and three solicitors.  It was a daunting experience to be asked Commonwealth legal counsel whether I realised I would be responsible to deport this family if a Visa was refused.  However, I refused to be intimidated.  Visits to the Baxter Detention Centre had desensitised me all to that.

David Winderlich had sourced a large house, rent and utility-free, through Dale West {dec}, then Director of Catholic Family services (Centacare) which could house the family upon their release.  The house had to be cleaned, furnished, provided with food and cooking utensils, bedding, clothing and all the other things necessary to maintain a home and establish a life in the community. Circle 1 began locating enough people to donate $5 or $10 a week to help with furnishing the house and to cover all living costs for the family once they were released.  We sourced what we could for free from generous donors and small businesses and relied on regular monetary donations to purchase other necessities and cover future weekly living expenses.

To enable tax-free status, Kevin Liston, then Director of the Australian Refugee Association (ARA), agreed to hold funds raised by each Circle and distribute them as Circle Convenors requested.

In a short time, over 100 regular donors were recruited to Circle 1, pro bono medical, dental and educational providers were on board, and the house was ready.  Support principles, still in operation, were developed by the Henley/Semaphore Circle.

Finally, on a normal day at my city office, I was overjoyed to receive a call from the father to say the family were being released that very day by departing Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock, with full access to Centrelink and Medicare. Their first night of freedom was spent at Pt Pirie with Bernadette Wauchope and her family from the wonderful Rural Action for Refugees (RAR). The next day they were on the Stateliner bus heading to Adelaide.

A rush ensued to find them somewhere to live and make sure it was adequately supplied. Due to the delay in their release, rather than leave the Centacare house empty, a large, recently arrived Sudanese family had been temporarily accommodated there.  Fortunately, another Agency’s recently vacated house was located and readied overnight. With other supporters and media, I met the whole family at the Franklin Street Bus Station, and their real life in Australia began.

By 2012, 10 years on from the initial start, there were over 100 Circles. “All of Circles” meetings were held in St John’s Church Hall, Halifax Street.  Monica O’Wheel chaired these meeting with attendees sharing knowledge, organising training and Forums to raise public awareness. At a combined meeting the active Circles decided to become incorporated as a new entity, Circle of Friends Australia Inc.

Thanks to the work of current Treasurer Bruce Wyatt, COFA Inc. commenced operations in November 2013. COFA is registered with the Australia Taxation Office as a Public and Benevolent Body and with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission as a charity with tax deductible receipting status for donations.  COFA is also registered in New South Wales and South Australia as a Charity for fundraising purposes. This has enabled us to be more active in fundraising and so to support more people.

Now 23 years on, the work of Circle of Friends continues to work strongly to support asylum seekers and refugees. It has a been an amazing experience to witness what strong, grassroots, collaborative activity can achieve.

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