I’ve been a bit sad this week thinking about how the shit fight over asylum seekers has dominated political discussion for what seems like years. Oh wait, because it is years. As we mark the 10th anniversary of September 11th, it’s around the same length of time since refugees became political footballs.
How did this happen? 99.9% of Australians will never meet a refugee in their lifetime. Their lives will be completely unaffected by this most traumatised, desperate and disadvantaged group of people. Unlike, say, healthcare. Or the education system. Transport. The economy. Because those issues? They will all affect 100% of Australians.
And yet….
And yet they are not on the front pages of newspapers every day. Those issues do not lead news bulletins nor are they the subject of daily soundbites from our political leaders. WTF.
How did this subject that should be purely be a bipartisan and humanitarian issue, become a total shitfight with the major players (apart from the Greens) REALLY concerned about the fate of the asylum seekers but purely about scoring political points and winning votes from an electorate who have been whipped into a frenzy of hate, distrust and fear of refugees.
How did we get here? And how do we go back to a point of compassion and morality?
The show
On the show this week is Sam de Brito, Angela Bishop, Rabbi Jacki Ninio and our very own news editor Rick Morton.
We’ll also be showing interviews with Catherine Deveny and Waleed Aly – check back on Friday for our show post with full interviews and links.
Welcome to a new MM team member
We’re so excited to be welcoming Lucy Ormonde to our editorial team as a writer.
Lucy Ormonde is a 24 year old journalist from Melbourne who I first met after a speech I gave a couple of years ago when she was still a journalism student. She’s written a bit for Mamamia as a contributor and is busting with ideas and energy which is good because we gobble up those things in large quantities.
Top Comments
While the Government and Opposition trade insults and childish behaviour, both trying to exalt the high ground on issues such as carbon tax, or the speed of broadband, ordinary and less-endowed people are left to suffer.
Refugees, pensioners, mental health patients, hospital entrants, homeless, self-funded retirees, disabled - all are forgotten in the despicable scramble for the 30 second media sound.
For the wealth and assets this country has, we are unfortunately bereft of applicable compassion, statesmanship and brainpower.
It is an indictment on both sides of politics that in every area politics seem to come first.
If you would like to know more about refugees and their experiences, you can read a book that was recently launched (on Wednesday at the University of Newcastle) - written by Ibtihal Samarayi, 'Refugee to Resident'. Ibtihal was born in Irak and tells her story...
As Professor Terry Lovat wrote on the backcover: 'I challenge anyone, whatever their current views might be, to read this story and remain unchanged.'