The community meeting will be held at St John’s Community Hall at 11.30am.

Refugee Action Collective Eurobodalla convenor, Bernadette Richards, said the group wanted clarification on a number of specific points relating to policies.

“This is a unique election,” Ms Richards said.

“It’s an election where, for the first time, politicians on all sides are essentially acknowledging that the current situation of offshore detention on Nauru and Manus island is untenable.

“We hoped candidates would be willing to engage with our community face to face, to answer our questions and discuss our concerns.

“It is also a time when Australia has committed to helping 12,000 Syrians fleeing war settle into our Australian community.

“The issue of how Australia responds to refugees is a significant one at this election.

“By the Federal Government’s own estimates, only 300 of the 12,000 refugees from Syria have been resettled. This is unacceptably slow progress on the Government’s own target and is something we hoped to discuss with all candidates at the meeting.”

Marne Cole, a former teacher who had worked with asylum seekers on Nauru for 18 months with her husband Peter, said she was disappointed candidates from the two major parties had declined to attend the meeting. She said both parties were feeling the pressure of calls for a fairer, and safer way of processing people seeking refuge.

Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis met group members recently to discuss and accept a group letter of concerns about the Government’s policies, but is not expected to attended Thursday’s meeting.

ALP candidate Fiona Phillips was also not expcted to attend. Steve Ryan from the Christian Democratic Party is unable to attend but provided a policy statement from his party. The candidate for the 21st Century Party could not be contacted.

Gilmore Greens candidate Carmel McCallum is the only candidate expected to attend the meeting and to present her party’s approach to refugee processing and settlement.

“ As someone who has seen up close the devastating impact of indefinite detention on kids and adults, and who like many Australians is seeing disturbing daily news of deaths, self-harm and a lack of appropriate medical care, under current policies, I would expect that all candidates should be responding to the growing unease and condemnation in their local electorates and around the country,” Ms Cole said.

“More people are becoming aware and expressing concern.”