My name is Neil. I’m walking 1000km to ask the Prime Minister for fairness for refugees who’ve lived here in Australia for more than a decade.

I’m a refugee who fled war and persecution in Sri Lanka, who has lived in Ballaarat, Victoria since 2013. I arrived in Australia over a decade ago, when many asylum seekers like me from different parts of the world were seeking safety here.

The government’s recent announcement has given permanence to 19,000 of us – but what about the rest? I’m one of the 10,000 others, whose nightmare hasn’t ended. We are happy for our friends, but we are tired of living in limbo for more than a decade.

On 1 August, I began a 1,000km walk from Ballarat to Mr Albanese’s electorate in Marrickville, near Sydney. I’m calling on the government to end the uncertainty for all the waiting refugees.

We cannot return to our countries. We yearn to contribute to the society we now call home. I aspire to serve as a police officer, and my wife desires to work in the aged care sector. Our children have ambitions of becoming a cardiac surgeon, psychologist, and lawyer.

My daughter Nive was born in Australia but had to wait for 10 years to become an Australian citizen. Even though Nive is now an Australian citizen, she doesn't have the rights that other 10-year-old children have.

Because I am not a permanent resident, Services Australia has advised us Nive should wait until she becomes 16 years old to access all services like any Australian citizen. It was a struggle to get her Medicare card.

Many children like Nive live in limbo. Our children are stateless, and it was not their fault.

Today, I stand with other refugees and asylum seekers as part of the Union of Australian Refugees (UAR).

We are contributors to Australian society, volunteers, taxpayers, and hardworking individuals. We are caught in an uncertain limbo regarding our visa status, but we are resilient, and we carry the hope that we’ll call Australia home one day.

I implore you to grant us the FREEDOM and CERTAINTY that we long for.
Respectfully,

Neil Para