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The Forum > Article Comments > Refugee Realities > Comments

Refugee Realities : Comments

By Andrew Hewett, published 26/3/2008

The aim of Oxfam’s Refugee Realities, a refugee camp simulation in Melbourne, was to help people understand that refugees are no different to the rest of us.

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It’s good living west of the Great Dividing Range where we don’t have to put up with things like “Refugee Realities” and other do-gooding nonsense about refugees being no different to (sic) the rest of us.

The statement on differences is obviously untrue. The “rest of us” are not refugees nor, these days, have we anything in common with refugees racially or culturally.

On the brighter side, the author says that only 8,000 people out of the city’s large population attended his little theme park. There is, perhaps, hope for common sense yet, although it seems that a large percentage of attendees were school children, probably under duress and subjected to brainwashing.

“Sadly, in recent years, Australia's record of fairness to refugees has been tarnished by programs such as mandatory detention and off-shore processing.”

Sadly for Mr. Hewitt, perhaps, but supported by most Australians and both major political parties, Labor being the instigator of the policy for ILLEGAL entrants to Australia. UN processed refugees have never been detained.

Mr. Hewitt’s faith in the Rudd Government conforming to his ideas of right and wrong is misplaced. As an economic rationalist, Kevin Rudd knows that Nauru costs too much, but Christmas Island remains, and facilities are still being enlarged. Australia might have obligations to take UN processed refugees, but not illegal entrants, despite the blathering that there is no such thing as illegal “refugees”.

Mandatory detention for illegal entrants and visa over stayers will be retained by any government wanting to stay in government. Policies are not decided by a few professional do-gooders and lefties.

As for expanding “the quota of refugees for whom Australia will provide protection”, I certainly hope that wish will not be granted to Mr. Hewitt. The types we have had dumped on us in recent years are certainly not suited to Australian society, and there are too many of them here now.

Continued…
Posted by Mr. Right, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 9:51:43 AM
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...continued

Mr. Hewitt leaves his most outrageous claims for his final paragraph.

We don’t need “contributions” from refugees, if they have made any; there is nothing to “celebrate” by having them here, and Australia is certainly NOT better for the presence of refugees. Refugees are not “people of such ingenuity, strength and resilience” simply because they are refugees.

The last is a childish, patronising and totally false statement
Posted by Mr. Right, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 9:53:49 AM
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I'm not writing to engage with the previous poster. But its said that more people read these posts than join in the forum. So I am simply stating that his views are not an accurate representation of "the rest of us". If I believed that these sentiments really were those shared by "most Australians" I would despair.

As for Australians having nothing in common with refugees from other countries? I believe that common humanity provides that link.
Posted by Romany, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 10:38:27 AM
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I was very disappointed with this article.

The first thing it did not mention is the prime factor behind the whole refugee problem, which is third world overpopulation. Unless this is addressed, all other efforts will be futile.

The second item not mentioned is that, in comparison with World War 2 and the Cold War periods, when virtually none of the refugees we took in would have had any sympathy with Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia, we face the problem today that a significant number of muslim refugees (or their Australian born children) have sympathies with some of the extremist groups in the Middle East, and come here purely for economic reasons. The terrorist attack on the London Underground where several of the terrorists were UK born children of muslim refugees granted asylum in the UK is a case in point.

As I understand the refugee convention, there is no level of comparative material deprivation which entitles any alien to remain here. In addition, the convention denies them the right to shop around, and requires them to seek asylum in the first country they arrive in, not the one that they think will suit them best. This seems to be ignored at the moment when determining whether they can stay here.

This problem needs serious attention, as the combination of overpopulation, peak oil, and measures to combat global warming will cause a significant decline world-wide in living standards over the coming decades, and all western countries will be inundated with people desperate to live there. Thank heavens we have a sea boundary. We look to our defence forces.
Posted by plerdsus, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 1:21:10 PM
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As an Indigenous person I was not consulted about the importation of the first refugees some 200 years ago and the current ones ( more poms and bloody New Zealanders ) and I am livid about it.

These people are not Australians and should not be in jobs that should be open to Australians ie Federal public service, commercials and my television. Australians are restricted in jobs and the ownership of property in Britian so why should we not apply the same program here. As for New Zealanders if I hear one more Canberra Manderian/ politician or info commercial talking with that annoying accent of there's I am going to have to hurt someone.( just joking)
Posted by Yindin, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 2:10:28 PM
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Dear Yindin.....

*newsflash*... most of those early 'refugees' you speak of were not consulted EITHER.. they were thrown on leaky ships and sent out here to swim or sink...and some sank.

If you want to have a 'juicy target' go to Werribee Mansion, built by the Churnside family, see the INCREDIBLE (and I mean incrEDible) opulance they enjoyed from sheep farming business. The Werribee river was a kind of border for 2 aboriginal groups.

Your jaw will drop to see it. Polo field and all.

REFUGEES.. OR 5TH COLUMN? you decide.

If anyone ever had any doubts about where long term influxes of particular people groups will lead, here is one rather stark message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sMHmerZdiA

That one is a "must see". One of the key phrases is "We have an AGING white America, they are not making babies, all we have to do is survive, there are millions of us, the explOSION is in our population...

KEY FOCUS of this group is "immigration legislation" they will kick and scream against ANYthing which is likely to stop the further influx of illegals...and what is the end game? well.. you will have to listen to the horses mouth itself.. maybe its better that way..

Don't forget to look at the MAP they present.....

Want an 'agenda' ? here is a good one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc1XAQc8hS8&feature=related

"control of the United states by ballot box or armed revolution"

If anyone is so unbelievably naive as to think that such agenda's don't exist in ALL human beings.... they need a wake up call of the most extreme kind.

REFUGEES ?.. sure..

-controlled numbers
-controlled backgrounds (religion race)
-our terms..not theirs.
Posted by BOAZ_David, Wednesday, 26 March 2008 6:34:25 PM
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