STRONGLY opposing the federal government’s actions might lead some people to question their national citizenship but it led Warrnambool woman Jennifer Chambers to last week become an Australian citizen.
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Ms Chambers said this country’s treatment of asylum seekers was “brutal and wrong” and she became a naturalised citizen in Warrnambool because of her desire to get Australia to change its approach.
She said taking the oath of allegiance had made her more determined to have an input into Australia’s treatment of refugees.
Ms Chambers has previously lobbied member for Wannon Dan Tehan to get Australia to improve its treatment, including calling for the release of asylum seeking children from detention.
To press her case, she presented Mr Tehan with a children’s book, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Adelaide author Mem Fox, that she said told the tale of the sanctity of children and that “children of all countries are one and the same”.
She has also helped with the hosting of refugees for short holidays in the south-west by local members of Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR).
She said she was concerned that more than 200 children seeking asylum in Australia were still in detention. More than 90 of the children were in detention on Nauru.
Ms Chambers, 61, immigrated to Australia from Ireland in the 1950s with her family when she was 10 months old.
She said she had always felt she was an Australian but decided in the past year to make it official, making the pledge with six others last Thursday.
She felt she was “a citizen of planet earth” who was “blessed to live in Australia”.
Ms Chambers said the Warrnambool branch of RAR would hold a social afternoon from 2pm on June 20 to mark Refugee Week.
The event would be held at Brophy Family and Youth Services centre in Timor Street and feature music, coffee and snacks.
ehimmelreich@fairfaxmedia.com.au
