THE De La Salle Brothers continue to offer the La Salle Motel in Narooma as a resettling point for Syrian refugees.
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Following the Federal Government changes last week, new approaches are being made to Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who is responsible for resettling the 12,000 Syrian refugees Australia will accept.
The Provincial of the De La Salle Brothers in Australia, Brother David Hawke following his announcement of the Narooma proposal last week could not be reached as he was on his way to a mission in South Sudan in Africa.
But a spokesman for Lassallian Mission Council confirmed additional letters were going out this week to Federal, State and local government officials.
The concept would be for a government to take on a long-term lease for the 45-room motel and also to provide the services to the refugees.
The Brothers would require full indemnity from legal costs and wouldn’t be responsible for any ongoing costs of housing the refugees.
The De La Salle Brothers are a Roman Catholic religious teaching order founded by French priest Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle.
Letters from the Brothers had also gone out to the local State and Federal members, and Mayor Lindsay Brown confirmed Eurobodalla Shire Council had also received a letter from the Lassallians informing it of the proposal.
He said he was in favour of assisting Syrian refugees, but the council had not formed a view on the Narooma motel proposal and wanted to know more.
“A number questions need to be answered,” Clr Brown said.
“We don’t know what our role would be and are awaiting for a response from Federal and State governments.”
He said was aware the Batemans Bay chamber of commerce had also discussed the possibility of accepting Syrian refugees.
Narooma Chamber of Commerce president Orit Karny Winters said while she supported assisting persecuted Syrian refugees, particularly families, she wanted to know how the various levels of government planned to support new arrivals.
She questioned how the refugees would settle in what was already considered low socio-economic area with a high proportion of elderly and dependent families.
Former motel manager Rhonda Upton said brothers’ offer of providing the facility to those in need was a good thing and should be considered by authorities.
The motel had facilities to offer Syrian families a temporary home and support such as English lessons until they could move out into wider Australia, she said.
The Lassallian council spokesman said other locals had send letters of support, including from teachers willing to give lessons.
The Reverend David Oliphant of the Mt Dromedary Parish of the Uniting Church and founder of Monty’s Café supports the Lassallian’s offer to help Syrian refugees and said he looked forward to learning more about the Narooma proposal.
The Brothers had removed some of the motels appliances and amenities for use in other missions, including in Papua New Guinea, and so the motel would need additional fitting out prior to occupation by the refugees.
In recent weeks there was a $1million offer made on the vacant motel made by Harvey Ball, owner and builder of the Shearwater Apartments on the Narooma Flat.
Mr Ball’s plan was convert the motel into a non-profit enterprise for single mothers and also to house the “Foundation for a Fairer Australia”.
“They knew I was going to invest this plus all refurbishment costs on a non-profit basis,” he said.
“The conference rooms would be used for activity and play centres plus a call centre to part employ the mothers.”
He said he was frustrated that negotiations with the Brothers failed and questioned how the Syrian refugee proposal could work.
The Lasallian spokesperson confirmed there had been discussions with Mr Ball but that no agreement could be reached.
