Tag Archives: refugees

Time our pollies just stopped…period

        I concur. Christmas Island administrator wants end to bickering – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). We have the ludicrous situation where a Labor government is pressing for the most draconian offshore detention procedures with a conservative opposition pleading humanitarian concerns for blocking the legislation – and each blaming the other forContinue reading “Time our pollies just stopped…period”

Asylum seekers: What was really said …

    In all fairness, I should follow up yesterday’s post with this: Asylum seekers: Andrew Metcalfe’s controversial remarks | Crikey. Doesn’t alter the fact that we need to go back to the drawing board for fair treatment of those who reach our shores claiming asylum. The secrecy and criminilisation that is current needs to beContinue reading “Asylum seekers: What was really said …”

Are there Dinosaurs in DOIC?

Remnants of the White Australia era seem to lurk in the labyrinthine corridors of Immigration & Citizenship – and they are advising our politicians! Let’s hope that the PM listens to Senator Brown and gives them the old heave-ho! Then maybe our politicians, desperate for sound advice, will heed those with some runs on theContinue reading “Are there Dinosaurs in DOIC?”

At last – a candle lit in the darkness!

A top immigration official recommends more community based schemes for processing asylum claims and raises questions about the effectiveness of unnecessary detention. Will our politicians listen? Doesn’t take much to blow out a candle. I’m indebted to Jack Smit of SafeCom for posting the following transcript. Check out SafeCom, by the way – it’s oneContinue reading “At last – a candle lit in the darkness!”

When the High Court saves us from ourselves…

    There’s a very good reason for the separation of powers – particularly law and governance: High Court puts Malaysia deal on hold | News.com.au. There will be many who gnash their teeth and wail that a High Court intervention interferes with the so-called “will of the people.” It depends, however, on what theContinue reading “When the High Court saves us from ourselves…”

First & Last Peoples

  What is an Aboriginal view concerning asylum seekers? Ironically, while mainstream Australia quakes at the prospect of the “great invasion” by leaky boats, our first peoples (who have an outstanding and legitimate claim to having been invaded by “boat people”) are more accommodating. Here is a brilliant speech by Lowitja O’Donoghue: Return to Afghanistan: resettlementContinue reading “First & Last Peoples”

A Thousand Splendid Suns – a book review

This morning brings the news of a Taliban raid on an international hotel in Kabul. Innocent lives lost have added to the growing tally that amounts to the tortuous agony of Afghanistan. It takes a book like A Thousand Splendid Suns, however, to reveal the complexities of a society that lives with violence almost everyContinue reading “A Thousand Splendid Suns – a book review”

So where to now on refugee policy?

REFUGEE PROTECTION NEEDS IGNORED IN RUSH TO ‘STOP THE BOATS’ A joint statement by Australian non-government organisations You get to the place where you feel you can write nothing more about the shameful asylum seeker detention regime – especially when long-standing champions of advocacy plead that even the Nauru strategy is preferable to the latest sleightContinue reading “So where to now on refugee policy?”