The plan to detain asylum seekers for processing on Nauru and Manus Island has failed even before the first detainee has arrived. The belief that this policy could be effective was built upon the false premise that the first ‘Pacific Solution’, implemented under the Howard government was effective in deterring boat arrivals. In fact boat
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The airing of SBS’s ‘Go Back To Where You Came From’ this week has injected a much needed dose of reality and perspective into a debate dominated by sound-bites, spin and misinformation. The program has taken 6 ‘celebrity’ guests and flung them into the very real situations faced by asylum seekers in some of the
Read moreAs highlighted by the comments in the lead up to tonight’s Episode One of SBS’s Go Back to Where you Came From, there is a current lack of accurate information in the asylum seeker debate leading to damaging attitudes towards asylum seekers. Michael Smith, Former Shock Jock, believes that ‘we treat people who lob by
Read moreThe controversial events surrounding the Tampa 10 years ago today gave many Australians a reason to help asylum seekers build a new life. ON AUGUST 26, 2001 the Norwegian freighter Tampa, en route to Singapore from Fremantle, responded to a May-Day call issued by Australia’s Rescue Coordination Centre. Changing course, the freighter made its way
Read moreby Pamela Curr, campaign co-ordinator at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre On the flight from Cairns to Weipa, a burly young bloke boarded wearing his “WE BUST OURS so WE CAN BUST YOURS” T-shirt with attitude. We were later to recognise him as a guard at Scherger Immigration Detention Centre in north Queensland. The drive
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