Stop the boats? Why not stop the shame by William, De La Salle College
We stand on the land of the Aboriginal people. This is especially important given that I have chosen to write about refugees. Most of our ancestors migrated here in boats. They left homes and many left families because they thought they would come to Australia for the great adventure of a new land and the possibility of a better life.
But imagine if our ancestors didn’t come from lovely places where they could choose when they wanted to leave their homeland. Imagine if instead they came from a land where they were under constant fear of being persecuted or killed. Imagine if when they came here, seeking safety and asylum, the people who owned this land rejected them. Imagine if the Aboriginal people had towed us back out to sea and left us there. Imagine if you were in the same situation, what would you do?
So, who are these people coming to Australia? On average, 90% of irregular maritime arrivals, or Boat People, will be found by Australian law to be genuine refugees. Australian law is extremely tough; refugees must fit one of only five categories. Someone who may be killed if they return home but who doesn’t fit one of these groups will be turned away by Australia. These people are often fleeing forces like the Taliban and are frequently highly educated and outspoken leaders trying to protect rights of others in their countries. Above all, they’re people with a life of equal value to anyone else.
Is it wrong that people who come on boats jump the queue? Many Australians strongly believe this is so, but what’s the alternative? Tony Abbott’s policy to “Stop the Boats” refuses people entry to Australia. These boats are forced to return to Indonesia, which is neither these people’s point of origin nor their goal. So why should we refuse innocent people protection and then usher our problems on to another?
Kevin Rudd’s refugee policy prior to the recent election was that there was no prospect of refugees being resettled in australia. Instead they would be sent to a country with an inadequate refugee process with clear breaches of human rights. We have even had to accept refugees from that country, Papua New Guinea. These processes not only breach Australia’s international legal obligations but it’s also just plain immoral.
These are people trying to save their lives; they are running from death itself. It is wrong to turn our backs on these people when they actually need us and then justify ourselves with weekly donations to kids we will never meet. These refugees are people we meet everyday in the street and we don’t even realise nor do we take the time to ask them about their experiences. It is unjust that politicians try to demonise these innocent people, and for what? What does all this mud slinging at refugees achieve? By Election Day, the political battle had turned into whichever party treated refugees the worse won.
I wonder what I would do if I were truly in danger. Spend my life watching loved ones suffer, or risk the journey to Australia even if the advertisements tell me that there is no prospect of being resettled there.
Speaking about border security and similarly ludicrous terms is now un-Australian. It makes me sad that people who have the power to do something positive are more concerned about playing on the uneducated fear of voters than arriving at a positive, humane solution. Our politicians should be providing a means for refugees to be safely processed rather than being sent to Manus Island, which is a mosquito-infested hell hole.
At the moment the Australian people tend to be frightened of what they don’t understand and there is never anything more effective at growing fear than a fear of someone who looks different, or has different religious beliefs, or who dresses differently. So in Australia, we need our politicians to show stronger leadership in terms of leading our society to a more informed place and a deeper understanding of this multi-faceted humanitarian issue.
Of course there is a financial cost in providing safe homes in Australia for asylum seekers, but it is time for Australia to decide what it values more; its GDP or people just like us who happen to be in danger and who need our help. Did you know that Australia’s intake of refugees is 49th in the world by number, 62nd by per capita, and 87th by GDP? Given that Australia is rated 6th in the world on the Quality of Life index, our refugee intake figures are shameful.
We stand on the land of the Aboriginal people. This is especially important given that I have chosen to write about refugees. Most of our ancestors migrated here in boats. They left homes and many left families because they thought they would come to Australia for the great adventure of a new land and the possibility of a better life.
But imagine if our ancestors didn’t come from lovely places where they could choose when they wanted to leave their homeland. Imagine if instead they came from a land where they were under constant fear of being persecuted or killed. Imagine if when they came here, seeking safety and asylum, the people who owned this land rejected them. Imagine if the Aboriginal people had towed us back out to sea and left us there. Imagine if you were in the same situation, what would you do?
So, who are these people coming to Australia? On average, 90% of irregular maritime arrivals, or Boat People, will be found by Australian law to be genuine refugees. Australian law is extremely tough; refugees must fit one of only five categories. Someone who may be killed if they return home but who doesn’t fit one of these groups will be turned away by Australia. These people are often fleeing forces like the Taliban and are frequently highly educated and outspoken leaders trying to protect rights of others in their countries. Above all, they’re people with a life of equal value to anyone else.
Is it wrong that people who come on boats jump the queue? Many Australians strongly believe this is so, but what’s the alternative? Tony Abbott’s policy to “Stop the Boats” refuses people entry to Australia. These boats are forced to return to Indonesia, which is neither these people’s point of origin nor their goal. So why should we refuse innocent people protection and then usher our problems on to another?
Kevin Rudd’s refugee policy prior to the recent election was that there was no prospect of refugees being resettled in australia. Instead they would be sent to a country with an inadequate refugee process with clear breaches of human rights. We have even had to accept refugees from that country, Papua New Guinea. These processes not only breach Australia’s international legal obligations but it’s also just plain immoral.
These are people trying to save their lives; they are running from death itself. It is wrong to turn our backs on these people when they actually need us and then justify ourselves with weekly donations to kids we will never meet. These refugees are people we meet everyday in the street and we don’t even realise nor do we take the time to ask them about their experiences. It is unjust that politicians try to demonise these innocent people, and for what? What does all this mud slinging at refugees achieve? By Election Day, the political battle had turned into whichever party treated refugees the worse won.
I wonder what I would do if I were truly in danger. Spend my life watching loved ones suffer, or risk the journey to Australia even if the advertisements tell me that there is no prospect of being resettled there.
Speaking about border security and similarly ludicrous terms is now un-Australian. It makes me sad that people who have the power to do something positive are more concerned about playing on the uneducated fear of voters than arriving at a positive, humane solution. Our politicians should be providing a means for refugees to be safely processed rather than being sent to Manus Island, which is a mosquito-infested hell hole.
At the moment the Australian people tend to be frightened of what they don’t understand and there is never anything more effective at growing fear than a fear of someone who looks different, or has different religious beliefs, or who dresses differently. So in Australia, we need our politicians to show stronger leadership in terms of leading our society to a more informed place and a deeper understanding of this multi-faceted humanitarian issue.
Of course there is a financial cost in providing safe homes in Australia for asylum seekers, but it is time for Australia to decide what it values more; its GDP or people just like us who happen to be in danger and who need our help. Did you know that Australia’s intake of refugees is 49th in the world by number, 62nd by per capita, and 87th by GDP? Given that Australia is rated 6th in the world on the Quality of Life index, our refugee intake figures are shameful.