By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Roz Blades’ selfless approach has inspired others, including Friends of Refugees chief executive Sri Samy.
Ms Samy heads a Springvale-based charity that provides material support and training for asylum seekers. She says she’s always looked up to Ms Blades’ example.
“Very early on in our friendship I had made up my mind to be like Roz someday, always thinking of others and working very hard to help them,” Ms Samy said.
“Like me I am sure there are a number people in our community who look up to to Roz and thank her for the outstanding work she has done and for her commitment to help the under privileged people in our community.”
From the start, Ms Blades was at the forefront of the City of Greater Dandenong’s nation-leading stand on behalf of asylum seekers and refugees living in the community.
In 2014, the council launched its action plan to help support asylum seekers – estimated to be about 2000 in Greater Dandenong.
It flourished to become a Back Your Neighbour campaign signed by more than 20 councils in NSW and Victoria, and the creation of a multi-council Mayoral Taskforce led by Greater Dandenong on the issue.
As mayor, Ms Blades has strongly called for the Federal Government to resume its meagre SRSS income support for jobless asylum seekers – about $247 a week for a single adult.
She took the fight to Parliament House in Canberra.
Ms Blades, who migrated from the UK in the late 1960s, said she was concerned on not just the financial impacts of the welfare cuts but the health and wellbeing of its victims.
“Since World War II, Australia has welcomed more than 800,000 people who’ve fled war and persecution,” she said in a statement in 2018.
“These people have contributed to our communities and our country on every level, from our culture to our sporting traditions, from medicine to the law, from science and research to our global reputation for excellence in the culinary arts.”
Ms Blades was at the forefront to help with the settlement of new arrivals in Greater Dandenong, Ms Samy said.
“She was someone who already knew the needs of the most under privileged people in our community.
“She was always looking at ways to help people in need in every way she could.”
