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Recently, my family and I reveled in a five day holiday. I had one of those freeze frame moments when I was watching my two girls and husband laugh together as they splashed in the hotel heated pool. My youngest daughter waved her fairy wand around- giggly with too much pink lemonade. This pure joy is the stuff of being a kid. Surely those magical moments are a right for all children? But not, it seems, if you are a refugee desperate enough to flee your country on a leaky boat for the chance of a better life. What is the crime in that? I know as a mum I would do anything to save my children. I would beg, borrow, bribe, steal and buy my way on to any transport if it meant rescuing my family from famine, violence and war.
I’ve never understood some people’s venom against refugees. As a journalist I have always aimed to be balanced and objective. But there are times when my personal feelings have influenced how I’ve covered a story. I don’t think there’s a problem with that – I believe there are some matters you need to take a stand against. I remember getting into strife with a former boss for being too strident with a particular government minister. During the course of the interview I asked him how he felt about having children behind razor wire in Australia. I still reckon that was a valid question. I was told to back off if we wanted to have that politician on the program again.
However the issue of keeping children in detention is something that I will never back away from. And since having babies of my own I feel even more strongly about how we treat young asylum seekers. So it’s with increasing shame, anger and frustration that I watch as our government wants to send unaccompanied children back to Malaysia to face an uncertain and dangerous future. According to the UN children’s agency, UNICEF, deporting unaccompanied children is illegal. It’s hard to comprehend
the psychological damage such a journey would have on young refugees. And in my gilded world I fret about separation anxiety my girls might have when I go to work. How pathetic!
The way our country treats new arrivals seems at odds with the image Australia has of an easy- going and compassionate nation. As a mother and journalist I have felt powerless when I watch images of young children and families arrive here with nothing but hope and brave, big hearts. Pretty quickly their optimism turns to shock, anxiety and depression when they find themselves locked in detention. Recently a former Immigration Officer told me she resigned after being told she was going to Christmas Island. She had enough of the pain and desperation and knew she would see more at that particular detention centre. So I vent my rage with like minded people but somehow it doesn’t seem enough.
A welcome face, Jessica Rowe.
That’s why I decided to become an ambassador for Welcome to Australia. (@welcome2aussie on Twitter). It’s a new organisation that grew from a bunch of friends talking about how they could change the misconception many Australians have about refugees. I heard about it through my twitter pals. What I love about this organisation is the way it plans to break through the political rhetoric about asylum seekers and connect with people in a more positive and meaningful way.
The organisation’s founder, Brad Chilcott, says: “People may never be convinced by an argument around immigration policy and facts and figures but that when you make an authentic relationship with a new Australian and hear their story, you can’t help but have your opinion softened.”
One way Welcome to Australia is hoping to build those new relationships is by encouraging people to hold ‘welcome parties’ in their homes, schools, offices, streets. Already the party pies, sausage rolls and fairy bread has been broken with communities across the country. If you want to host your own party you can register at www.welcometoaustralia.org.au . But if that’s not your thing there are other practical ways you can support new arrivals. The website can point you in the right direction. It’s also just begun a campaign with the exquisitely talented singer Katie Noonan to get musical instruments to people in immigration detention as well as recently settled refugee families.
I know the Australia that I want my girls to grow up in, is a place that is generous, compassionate and multicultural. A twist of fate, like the wave of that fairy wand, meant my daughters were born in a safe and democratic country. Surely it’s not too hard to welcome other families and children to this land of plenty. Don’t we all want the same thing- those freeze frame moments of pure, innocent joy for our babies? With plenty of pink lemonade to go around.
Here’s the promo for Welcome to Australia..
How would you welcome a migrant or an asylum seeker?
Comments
75 Comments so far
Your words Jessica Rowe is showing me how you care. Because people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. God be with you dailly.
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You are really 100% a parent I have never heard a woman wo have good feelings like you.
God bless you so much
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Pingback: Quick hit: Welcome to Australia
Thank you Jessica – well written.
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Wonderful article by the fabulously talented Kessica Rowe. Any chance of entering politics?
I cringed after seeing an ad for the supposed current affair (term used very loosely) Today Tonight with the voice over, “Refugees, what it means for our jobs, our houses, our jobs, our childrens future”. The voice over was accompanied by the inveitable fearful music. Programs like this are perpetuating this issue and are nothing short of irresponsible.
Anyone questioning the plight of boat people should read Anh Do’s Happiest Refugee.
I hope that one day we be the welcoming accepting nation that we think we are.
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Love love love LOVE LOVE THIS!!
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Hi for the benefit of everyone! Today I hung on the Internet and base an compelling site more Perth http://city-perth.com. This is a community, which I living in. And there are scads intriguing facts and info about my township`s places of interest. If you interested, you should force a smite the site.
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Jessica says welcome, but would she say welcome to Rose Bay?
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If she is anything like me she would. I have had Sudanese refugees as neighbours and can honestly say I would rather live in an entire refugee community than near most ‘ true blue Aussies’. Go ahead, say it, I’m ‘un-australian’ and proud of it.
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Thank you Jessica for this post. As a mother myself, I often wonder about the same things. What would I be willing to do to save my child from such hardship? What sort of treatment would I want for my family if we needed to flee to another country? The fear generated about all the damage refugees could do is ridiculous and at the end of the day we are all human beings with basic rights and privileges. Why not share what we have if it is within our power as a nation to do so? Good on you for speaking out.
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Jessica what a lovely post. I hope people have their eyes and hearts opened after reading this.
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Yes Jess, it’s all about pure joy and pink lemonade….
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/refugees-behind-40000-atm-scam/story-e6frf7jo-1226116693109
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yes, but i wonder what percentage of criminals in australia are refugees. judging all people by the actions of a few is called… wait for it… prejudice.
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THREE men. wow.
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Gig, as a criminal lawyer, I suggest you take my word on this: just as many “real Australians” (whatever that may mean, but you strike me as someone who’d use profoundly ignorant and ill-informed terminology) commit crimes as refugees and immigrants do.
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thanks for a great post jessica.
i will sign up for sure. we need more than anything to combat the crazy media coverage of refugees that gets everyone so hot under the collar. we need facts (comparing our refuge numbers to other countries to start with) and we need to hear their stories. this sounds like a good start.
i have always admired you jessica since i first you on the today show, such a beautiful smile and disposition.
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Good on you Jessica. You are a good woman and role model. I love the idea of Welcome to Australia – so much nicer than some of the other sentiments that get around. Practical too.
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at the risk of being shouted down. My mum was a refugee she left her home country which had been taken at the end of the war by communists, at 6months old. After 6 years of war her parents upped sticks and moved to a refugee camp where my mother got so sick and malnourished that she turned brown. My grandfather threatened the doctor and so saved her life although she was much much shorter than the rest of her family. They waited a year there to me transported here (or Canada they weren’t fussy) then when they got here they stayed in refugee camp in Bonegila. Her parents were required to work for the government for two years. My grandmother was sent to hospital because the thought she had TB. Mum got sent to the nuns who refused to try to speak her language to her so after 2 years there she couldn’t speak her mother tongue any more and had to be retaught. Eventually when they were reunited they shared half a garage with another family with a sheet as a divider. As no one would rent a house to a”dago” with a child. Fast forward my mum had a comfortable life and now has her own family and if you met her you would have no idea that she was European. My point??? this is at least a 60 year old problem i would like the bleeding hearts to actually come up with real solutions and stop the “they could stay with me” line. Please?? i really want there to be a solution that works for them and the wider community. I will be there with bells on to help a true solution.
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I agree that we do need a permanent, true solution for this issue. But I also think it’s important not to shout down these attempts, because they’re addressing the main barrier that we have to accepting refugees – the fact that governments believe Australians do not want them. So before they introduce legislation, they want to be shown that that is what we want. I like to think of this demonstration of our support is the first step to a more permanent solution.
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Had a quick look (and signed up for) the website – very pleased to see the Anglican, uniting, baptist and Salvation army churches as partners!
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Jessica, I didn’t know much about you until you started to speak up about depression, mental health, kids and issues like this. And now, I admire you so much. Because you are not just a great journo, newsreader, wife and Mum, but you are using your public position to raise awareness about all sorts of issues. That rates highly with me. Thank you. Bronnie (MaidInAustralia)
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She’s kinda great, isn’t she? I read the book Jessica wrote about her experience with her mum’s bi-polar disorder and that first got me interested in the woman herself. I agree with everything you’ve written in your comment.
Jessica – you have the most lovely smile. It is a perfect representation of the compassion and all-inclusive attitude that you communicate in this piece. Thanks for putting the word out.
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I’m sick of peoples lives literally being politicised. Abbott, Gillard and others these folks are people not a “policy” or a menas to a political ends…start treating them as such.
I studied with a Suandese refugee who went through the UN channel, and he told me of his struggles. He is a great person and a wonderful addition to our nation. If I had the means I’d happily billett “asylum seekers” in my home instead of a prison. In fact a murderer has better accomodation than an asylum seeker.
Jessica I’m no celebrity or anyone important but I’d love to support you and your organisation, especially in the plight to cut through the crap and educate Australia about the real non political story and embrace these new additions to our family of Australia.
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Me too! My first semester of uni I was partnered with a Sudanese guy who used to be a child soldier until he was rescued by the UN- his story was heart breaking
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I agree with you so much, where is our compassion these poor people have been through so much, As a person who has worked with refugees i can say what proud and amazing people they are. Thank you Jessica i have always admired you.
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Well as usual Ms Rowe, I couldn’t agree with you more! And yes, you do have personal feelings, which play a part in you being a journalist.,.who is a human being (and let’s face it…it doesn’t seem to stop some others expressing their views to the contrary). Just promise me that if those TV execs are ever mean to you again you’ll give all of us in the NFP sector a chance to lure you over to work for us!
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Brilliant plan and excellent piece. All these people seeking asylum and our help are fellow human beings, and not political footballs. Those of us who agree need to speak up, every chance we get.
Almost 10 years ago, I wrote to Ruddock & Howard about this issue, it makes me very angry and incredibly sad that nothing much has changed.
If you would like to read what I wrote, here’s a link x
http://franklyfeisty.blogspot.com/2011/08/10-years-after-i-first-wrote-this-not.html
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Excellent. Great stuff. I’m joining.
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I love Jessica Rowe. This is an excellent article, I absolutely love the idea of Welcome to Australia.
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but where are all the thousands of tons of metal to go into all the ships and the fuel going to come from? Where are all the sleiupps, the livestock, everything to sustain 6 billion people going to come from? Who’s going to donate it, who’s going to pay for it? Not to mention the problem with antigravity; we’ll loose body mass after so long.
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My daughter works with refugees and tells me they are the most gorgeous but also some of the toughest kids she knows. She often reminds me that when we feel powerless to do much about government policy that there is a lot we can do for those already arrived.
Yes detention is a huge issue and one that needs to be addressed, but there’s a lot we can do to ‘welcome’ those who have newly arrived.
Its wonderful that people feel so passionate about this issue, it would just be great if half the people who read this could look to what they can do re settlement in Melbourne, because the journey by no means ends once they are processed, and if we are able to help transition those already here, perhaps our government will begin to realize that it does have better mechanisms in place for dealing with refugees.
http://yveblogs.wordpress.com
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Maybe all the people who disagree with detention put it to the goverment that they open there homes to refugees and help them adjust to life here the gentle way until they are processed.
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I’d put my hand up, although I would NEVER use the word ‘processed’ when referring to a human being.
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Well said Sparky! And Anonymous there is a better way to help these people who came to us because their own situation was so helpless. Perhaps you should consider that next time when someone helps you out – not because they “had” to, but because they did it out of respect for their fellow human being!
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People who come here from overseas go through airports and through customs for a reason to keep out things which could be harmful to Australia eg, pests which could endanger crops and affect the well being of everyone.. It just does not make sense to let people arrive and not check them out before they are allowed to stay.
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It only takes a few hours (at most) to go through customs, not a few years…
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I think you will find most anti-refugee feelings are based in fear. Fear of differences, fear of “them” taking “our” jobs, moving into “our” school etc. Fear itself is based in ignorance. Having morning teas or such gatherings and getting to know someone, receiving first hand information etc – this seems like a brilliant way to fight ignorance and fear. Great initiative !!
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Fear is an instinct for a reason , imagine a world with no fear we would not last very long.
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And we wouldn’t last long in a world based on 100% fear, 24/7/365 either.
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I think 99.9% of Australians wouldn’t know real fear – and we should be so grateful that this is the case
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I think you may have forgotten about the two world wars that Australians went through or maybe you did not realise that part of our history i think the men and there families who are still with us from ww2 may know something about fear.
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I lived in a community with many migrants, and through playgroup would give out maps with parks/doctors/supermarkets/Halal butchers/Asian supermarkets/etc on them they could carry in their pocket. We ran women only days at the clinic. We made home visits available to mums with older kids (this had originally only been available to newborns, but many new migrants lacked transport). We made sure we had vegetarian and halal food available at community events.
Sometimes it’s just the little things that say ‘you’re normal, you’re welcome’. Frankly inviting the migrants to parties was the best idea ever – most of our local population was Indian and the food! Delicious!
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Wow good on you and your locals Laws for Clouds – that is awesome!
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Great post Jessica. I work for an organisation that has a homework programme which is a club that assists refugee and emmigrant children with their homework and other school work and also has adult literacy classess.
I am organising a morning tea at work with donations to this programme. The need copy paper, pencils, rulers, large pencil cases, erasers, whiteboard markers, highlighters, simple ruled notebooks, scientific calculators etc.
It is such a worthy cause as it give them a working chance in making a good life in Australia. If you are interested in donating materials, please let me know. (I am in Brisbane)
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Do you have a Facebook group for your programme OssieLeo? I’ve seen others be very successful.
p.s. Immigrant is someone who comes into the country. Emmigrant is what they are to the country they left. i.e. Seena is an immigrant in Australia, and an emmigrant of Afghanistan. http://tpimtts.blogspot.com/2007/03/immigrant-vs-emigrant-difference.html
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I know, I know.. spelling shocking. Sitting here at my desk in a near empty office as it is Ekka holiday here (had mine on Monday) and brain is snoring loudly.
Sorry, no facebook. This programme is just a part of what my employer does and I am aiming to introduce the many facets of our organisation to all employees through monthly morning teas to also raise awareness to worthy causes.. However, if you wish to contact me directly, I am happy for MM to release my contact details to you…
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I would love your contact details too as I would love to donate some homework resources.
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Hey Rara, get MM to provide you with my email address and we’ll go from there..
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I think this issue is extremely important in Australia, so thanks for the article. Both my parents have been working as interpreters in detention centres for years so I have grown up hearing the stories they have shared with my sisters and I. I never have and never will understand why some people are against asylum seekers, my own MIL is one of those, and it drives me crazy when she brings it up! She is always complaining that when her, her husband and daughter came to Australia they had to live in camps in Eastern Europe and walk to Italy and they had nothing, and I ask her if she thinks the asylum seekers here are living in 5 star hotels?! But I just gave up with her ages ago, she’s old and stuck in her ways.
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Thank you Jessica, it’s nice to know that although the media seems to want to make everyone anti-asylum seeker by drawing attention to and demonising ‘boat people’, there are some news readers/journalists who have your level of compassion for their plight.
BUT I just can’t make up my mind about the unaccompanied children being sent to Malaysia or not. I don’t think any asylum-seekers should be sent to a non UNHCR country at all. But what if not sending back the children results in hundreds of desperate parents sending their children alone?
It’s certainly a common trait – a parent to sacrifice their life for their child. But wouldn’t this just be creating more issues for these people who just need our help? I don’t want families separated unnecessarily.
What a terribly difficult and complicated situation.
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Yes what a lovely gesture but is it really all that simple.Do we open the floodgates and let everyone who makes there way here in when our schools and hospitals are already overcrowded , do we not already have homeless,poor and people who need help and how do these people afford to live with here after arriving with aparently nothing and the high cost of food , rent etc.And also does coming here fix there problems and with the wave of a fairy wand and a freindly hello guarentee a wonderful life in a new land .
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Well said Anonymous. I feel for these people who have risked so much to get here, and as a mother I find it absolutely abhorrent that unaccompanied minors be sent to another country, but I really think this article has oversimplified a very complex issue. It breaks my heart that children are dying from famine and war so needlessly, however surely everyone is better off if Australia worked on policies that would prevent illegal immigrants needing to leave their own homes at all.
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they’re not “illegal immigrants” if they’re Asylum-Seekers proven to be genuine Refugees.
Illegal immigrants are more likely to be people who arrive by plane and overstay their visas.
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You’re right. Asylum Seekers would have been better terminology. Thank you. :O)
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“More backpackers are in this country illegally than people who arrive by boat.”
http://www.culturaldiversity.net.au/index.php?view=article&id=752%3Aboat-people-victims-of-a-big-fat-lie&option=com_content&Itemid=36
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What policies would prevent war and attempted genocide?
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Our men are fighting and dying overseas to make these countries safer and fairer . Our goverment pumps billions of dollars of aid to refugees >Is it fair to say that we have enough people here and do we want a polluted ,overpopulated country ? I certainly no i do not!
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Of course, most of the money spent on refugees isn’t aid at all. It’s on the costs of detention centres. For every $1 spent on housing a refugee in the community it costs $34 to detain them. Offshore processing is horribly expensive. So it pays to be more welcoming.
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Actually we have an ageing population that cannot continue to be supported for that much longer as is. An injection of young, healthy workers is probably precisely what is needed.
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Actually we have a booming population and if you have a look at the map of Australia and see how much is hospitable for humans to live without having to cut down more forests it would not take to long to be overpopulated and we may end up living in a dust bowl. If we look at the millions starving in Africa due to drought it is a very sad warning of what can happen to us all .
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Valid points and concerns, but mostly they work bloody hard to sink their teeth into a new life. And by and large they end up contributing much more to our fair society than dole bludgers, junkies, criminals and other people who are large drainers of resources. I know who I would rather have my tax dollars.
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I do not think its fair to give up on the people or especially the children of these so called dole bludgers ,etc . who deserve a chance as much as someone else looking for a better way of life.
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I think overcrowded Australian public services are pretty amazing in comparison to what some people have access to
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well said jessica!
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Thanks Jessica this is such an important issue and we need to continue to discuss it and draw attention.
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Brilliant post. Thanks Jessica.
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Thanks Jessica, as usual, a beautiful post. Will be heading to the website to see what I can do.
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What a beautiful idea Jessica and thank you for letting us know about it, will definitely be checking it out! We have some refugee families at my daughters school and I try to make a point if always saying hello but how nice would it be to have a morning tea or similar? Great idea x
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Jessica – I so agree . I don’t get it either . I also feel as a Mum I would do anythig for my kids . I just don’t understand what we are afraid of . Didn’t all our ancesters come here by boat anyway ?
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Nice one Jessica. If migration on dodgy overcrowded boats was good enough for those on the First Fleet, which kick-started modern day Australia, what’s wrong with people doing the same thing now? I really enjoyed Anh Do’s book The Happiest Refugee. It’s so inspiring and I’m proud to call people like Anh’s family my fellow Australians.
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Ahh, yes- there it is thanks
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A beautiful post Jessica. My views mirror everything you just said. I’ve always believed that Australia was a country where everyone got a fair go and that’s what made us unique. After all, we have all come to this country in one way or another, even white Australians.
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Congratulations Jessica for getting involved with such a great cause- what a wonderful idea! @welcometoaussie doesn’t seem to have any twitter account when I searched for it- is that the right twitter name?
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Shannon it’s “2″ not “to” have a go at searching that way, i think you’ll find it
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they tweet @welcome2aussie
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