Supporting the Turnbull Government’s Position On Refugees & People Seeking Asylum Is Un-Australian

Actions speak louder than words is a phrase that is often thrown at people who try to deceive people by their words. How often as a child did you hear this from a parent or a teacher? Often those who are hypocritical will say ”Do as I say, not as I do.”

Australians claim to be a nation of the “fair go,” standing up for the underdog. Some even claim that Australia is a nation based on Christian values. Some even claim we are friendly and welcoming — a tolerant nation. Our actions speak louder and show how we really are as nation.

The reality is we are far from what we claim to be. Our actions prove we are not a nation of ‘the fair go,’ we don’t stand up for the under dog. We don’t even standby or enact the so called Christian values our society is based on. All of this can be summed up by how we treat people seeking asylum. This treatment has a new face , Faysal. Faysal was fleeing one of the most dangerous places in the world-Sudan. He tried to come to one of the safest places in the world, instead he ended up on Manus. He was sick for 6 months — collapsed, had a serious head injury and died.

However, it is not just Faysal. There is Reza , Hamid, Omid, Rakib, Kamil, Fasel and Mohammed. All people seeking asylum and security — all who have died in Australian detention centres since 2014, with the hope that Australia will be a place of asylum and safe haven. As a nation we should be standing up for them, giving them a fair go. Showing Christian values towards them, following what is found at Deuteronomy 1:16 “…judge with righteousness between a man and his brother or a foreign resident, ” or Matthew 22:39 “…‘You must love your neighbour as yourself.” But Australia is no doing this.

 

 

Australia is sending people, humans, to an island to languish and die on an island. The Turnbull Government has blood on its hand. Every decision made by the Minister and the Prime Minister about these humans on these islands adds more blood to their hands. Each time a person seeking asylum is refused medical attention, entry to Australia or is bashed and or rape puts the blame squarely on the Government.

It is not just the government that has blood on its hand. Those supporting the Turnbull Government have blood on your hands. Those who voted for the Turnbull government because off its refugee policy have a direct responsibility of the death, rape and brutality felt by people seeking asylum and refugees on Manus. Those who voted for the Turnbull Government because of immigration policy are Un-Australian.

Standing up for what is right is the Australian way, doing the right thing is the Australian way. Keeping people in detention on Manus is not right, is not the Australian way. Denying them medical attention is not the Australian way. The treatment of refugees and people seeking asylum by the Australian Government is UnAustralian. Supporting the Turnbull Government’s position on refugees is Un-Australian.