The John Howard of 'Actors For Refugees'
Woman's Day
by Jill Fraser
It's rare to find actor John Howard at A-list parties mixing with the rich and famous.
It's much more likely that this down-to-earth thespian's instantly recognizable face (thanks to his acclaimed role as John Taylor in Channel Seven's Always Greener and before that as Bob Jelly in the ABC series, SeaChange) will be seen addressing a demonstration for human rights.
John is one of a growing number of performers who are donating their time and talents to Actors for Refugees, a group which has mobilised the collective might of actors to encourage a more humanitarian attitude to asylum seekers.
Deeply disturbed by the Federal Government's handling of the refugee crisis, John makes no bones about his feelings towards his namesake's policies and the "gaols" that are used to house asylum seekers.
"I try to imagine my children in them," he says, shuddering.
John and the Prime Minister may share the same name but ideologically they are poles apart. Asked what he would like to say to the PM, he pauses.
Choosing his words carefully he says. "I think it's important to build a nation that is courageous, not afraid.
"We have no reason to be afraid of refugees arriving by boat, we never have had. After all, my forebears arrived by boat, so did yours."
Alongside John on the set of SeaChange, co-founders of Actors for Refugees (AfR) Kate Atkinson and Alice Garner worked together for two and a half years before realising that they share the same passion to right the world's wrongs.
"The refugee issue has made Alice and me very close. It's been an enormous journey for both of us," says Kate, admitting that prior to this she has resisted using her celebrity status to push a cause.
"This is the first time in my life that I've been so involved in something. I got really distressed about the Tampa incident and thought, if ever there was a time to speak out and have a say in how my world is going to be shaped this is it."
These days Kate (best known for her SeaChamge character, Pearl Bay's conscientious policewoman, Karen Miller) and Alice (the town's hippie Carmen Monahan) spend every spare moment discussing the group's increasingly busy schedule, collating information and visiting friends in detention centres.
"Historically actors have regularly spoken out against the abuse of human rights," says Kate. "Actors for Refugees is our attempt to humanize the issue of the asylum seekers by utilizing our story-telling skills to relate their personal tales."
"We're counteracting the edict that came out of Canberra, don't give these people a human face," declares Annie Phelan, Marshall Law's Esther Hersch QC and one of the group's most active supporters. "The government understands the power of keeping them as statistics."
"I'm involved with Actors for Refugees because we act as a bridge to give the asylum seekers a voice," says Blue Heeler's star, Caroline Craig, explaining that her introduction to the group came in the form of an invitation to talk at a Palm Sunday refugee rally.
The 20,000-plus crowd was somewhat daunting for the young actress but not nearly as confronting as the verbal abuse that Melbourne talk-back callers dished up to her regarding her involvement in the event.
"I was shocked," she exclaims. "The majority view was that those who are seeking refuge are queue-jumpers and terrorists. The problem is we're not being informed. People are not heartless they just need to know the facts."
Through a variety of voluntary community projects, including one which takes the actors and their stories into high schools, AfR is hoping to help close this information gap.
With a Ph.D. in history, Alice Garner is well qualified to sift through the mountain of often conflicting data that finds its way onto websites and into the media. Together with Kate Atkinson she is ensuring that the group is much more than simply "heads stuck on an issue".
"We're very linked to what's going on at a grass roots level. We're not just a bunch of actors making empty statements," says Alice.
"We've done our homework and found that a lot of what is being told is not true," adds Kate. "It's been manipulated and exploited for political purposes. We've done the research and with our acting, the only skill at our disposal, we're trying to reach people and raise awareness."
"I think people are getting suspicious of high profile people jumping on band wagons," says Rove McManus' comedic side-kick, Corinne Grant. "That's what I like about AfR. We're trained to talk and it's good to be able to use our skills as opposed to just our profiles for such an important cause."
Support for Actors for Refugees within the acting fraternity has been strong. Since its inception in September 2001 the group has received help from an impressive list of performers. Besides John Howard, Annie Phelan, Caroline Craig and Corinne Grant, Tom Long, Claudia Karvan, John Wood, Joel Edgerton, Kevin Harrington, Rachael Maza, Sacha Horler, William McInnes, Catherine McClements, Damien Washe-Howling and Georgina Naidu are just a handful of the celebrities who have given their time. With the refugee issue dividing the nation, could participation in AfR have an adverse affect on their future careers? Surprised at the question Kate replies, "If it does have a negative impact then so be it. In a way that would only serve to prove my point, that the Australia I thought I was living in is just a fantasy. I should be able to talk out as loudly and desperately as I want."
Anne Phelan gives a soft chuckle. "Twenty years ago my mother asked me the same question concerning my involvement with the unions. My answer now is the same as it was back then. If someone doesn't want to employ me because of my beliefs I don't want to work for them."
"It's more important to stand up for what you believe than go where the money is," muses Caroline.
"I hope it won't affect my career but if it does it won't stop me," adds Alice. "I want my behaviour to make my children proud when they're old enough to understand what happened and when enough time has passed for this issue to be analyzed in a clear, dispassionate way.
"I don't have much celebrity status but whatever I've got I'll use because all these people in detention centres want is to lead normal lives, work, contribute to the community, send their kids to school and have friends home for dinner. And ultimately all everyone wants is peace."
by Jill Fraser
It's rare to find actor John Howard at A-list parties mixing with the rich and famous.
It's much more likely that this down-to-earth thespian's instantly recognizable face (thanks to his acclaimed role as John Taylor in Channel Seven's Always Greener and before that as Bob Jelly in the ABC series, SeaChange) will be seen addressing a demonstration for human rights.
John is one of a growing number of performers who are donating their time and talents to Actors for Refugees, a group which has mobilised the collective might of actors to encourage a more humanitarian attitude to asylum seekers.
Deeply disturbed by the Federal Government's handling of the refugee crisis, John makes no bones about his feelings towards his namesake's policies and the "gaols" that are used to house asylum seekers.
"I try to imagine my children in them," he says, shuddering.
John and the Prime Minister may share the same name but ideologically they are poles apart. Asked what he would like to say to the PM, he pauses.
Choosing his words carefully he says. "I think it's important to build a nation that is courageous, not afraid.
"We have no reason to be afraid of refugees arriving by boat, we never have had. After all, my forebears arrived by boat, so did yours."
Alongside John on the set of SeaChange, co-founders of Actors for Refugees (AfR) Kate Atkinson and Alice Garner worked together for two and a half years before realising that they share the same passion to right the world's wrongs.
"The refugee issue has made Alice and me very close. It's been an enormous journey for both of us," says Kate, admitting that prior to this she has resisted using her celebrity status to push a cause.
"This is the first time in my life that I've been so involved in something. I got really distressed about the Tampa incident and thought, if ever there was a time to speak out and have a say in how my world is going to be shaped this is it."
These days Kate (best known for her SeaChamge character, Pearl Bay's conscientious policewoman, Karen Miller) and Alice (the town's hippie Carmen Monahan) spend every spare moment discussing the group's increasingly busy schedule, collating information and visiting friends in detention centres.
"Historically actors have regularly spoken out against the abuse of human rights," says Kate. "Actors for Refugees is our attempt to humanize the issue of the asylum seekers by utilizing our story-telling skills to relate their personal tales."
"We're counteracting the edict that came out of Canberra, don't give these people a human face," declares Annie Phelan, Marshall Law's Esther Hersch QC and one of the group's most active supporters. "The government understands the power of keeping them as statistics."
"I'm involved with Actors for Refugees because we act as a bridge to give the asylum seekers a voice," says Blue Heeler's star, Caroline Craig, explaining that her introduction to the group came in the form of an invitation to talk at a Palm Sunday refugee rally.
The 20,000-plus crowd was somewhat daunting for the young actress but not nearly as confronting as the verbal abuse that Melbourne talk-back callers dished up to her regarding her involvement in the event.
"I was shocked," she exclaims. "The majority view was that those who are seeking refuge are queue-jumpers and terrorists. The problem is we're not being informed. People are not heartless they just need to know the facts."
Through a variety of voluntary community projects, including one which takes the actors and their stories into high schools, AfR is hoping to help close this information gap.
With a Ph.D. in history, Alice Garner is well qualified to sift through the mountain of often conflicting data that finds its way onto websites and into the media. Together with Kate Atkinson she is ensuring that the group is much more than simply "heads stuck on an issue".
"We're very linked to what's going on at a grass roots level. We're not just a bunch of actors making empty statements," says Alice.
"We've done our homework and found that a lot of what is being told is not true," adds Kate. "It's been manipulated and exploited for political purposes. We've done the research and with our acting, the only skill at our disposal, we're trying to reach people and raise awareness."
"I think people are getting suspicious of high profile people jumping on band wagons," says Rove McManus' comedic side-kick, Corinne Grant. "That's what I like about AfR. We're trained to talk and it's good to be able to use our skills as opposed to just our profiles for such an important cause."
Support for Actors for Refugees within the acting fraternity has been strong. Since its inception in September 2001 the group has received help from an impressive list of performers. Besides John Howard, Annie Phelan, Caroline Craig and Corinne Grant, Tom Long, Claudia Karvan, John Wood, Joel Edgerton, Kevin Harrington, Rachael Maza, Sacha Horler, William McInnes, Catherine McClements, Damien Washe-Howling and Georgina Naidu are just a handful of the celebrities who have given their time. With the refugee issue dividing the nation, could participation in AfR have an adverse affect on their future careers? Surprised at the question Kate replies, "If it does have a negative impact then so be it. In a way that would only serve to prove my point, that the Australia I thought I was living in is just a fantasy. I should be able to talk out as loudly and desperately as I want."
Anne Phelan gives a soft chuckle. "Twenty years ago my mother asked me the same question concerning my involvement with the unions. My answer now is the same as it was back then. If someone doesn't want to employ me because of my beliefs I don't want to work for them."
"It's more important to stand up for what you believe than go where the money is," muses Caroline.
"I hope it won't affect my career but if it does it won't stop me," adds Alice. "I want my behaviour to make my children proud when they're old enough to understand what happened and when enough time has passed for this issue to be analyzed in a clear, dispassionate way.
"I don't have much celebrity status but whatever I've got I'll use because all these people in detention centres want is to lead normal lives, work, contribute to the community, send their kids to school and have friends home for dinner. And ultimately all everyone wants is peace."
posted by Actors for Refugees at 5:29 PM
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