SRI Lankan asylum seeker Kumaradevendrar — also known as Kumar — says in some ways he would be better off still being in immigration detention.
After 17 months in Christmas Island and Weipa detention centres, Kumar lives on a government benefit of $1000 a month.
More than half of that is paid in rent, leaving him a bit over $100 a week for other expenses. On a 12-month bridging visa, he has full work rights to “support himself”. But getting a job is hard.
He says employers are reluctant to recruit him because under a bridging visa, he could be sent ‘home’ by immigration authorities any day. He can’t afford study fees to build up his qualifications — he doesn’t get a government subsidy for even basic English classes.
Though he’s glad to be out of detention’s mind-numbing limbo, Kumar says at least he had “three meals a day and free accommodation”. “Now I starve for food,” he says.
What makes it harder is he wants to provide for his wife Mankayarkarasi and daughter Sythanya, 3, who are stranded in India also without a steady income. He hasn’t seen them for two years. He borrows from friends to send them money.
With the assistance of Springvale Community Aid and Advice Bureau, Kumar and seven other Tamils on bridging visas want to set up a ‘Palingu Chop and Clear’ home maintenance and gardening business.
See also Asylum deluge reaches Greater Dandenong.
SCAAB is asking for donations of a work vehicle, gardening tools such as shovels and lawnmowers to give Kumar’s group a start. Anyone who can help is asked to call Catherine Franklin at SCAAB on 9546 5255 or email scaabspr@scaab.org.au.
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