Number Of Refugees In Australia

The resettlement of refugees in Australia is a controversial topic; many people believe that they come here to commit crime, change our culture and steal our jobs. ‘The Happiest Refugee’ has enhanced my belief that refugees should be allowed to live in Australia. I believe that refugees are here to escape war and persecution; they are not criminals, nor do they want to change our culture or steal our jobs. Refugees are generally grateful for their new lives in Australia and they embrace our culture. ‘The Happiest Refugee’ is a source of evidence that supports this.

Unfortunately, the narrative concerning refugees and asylum seekers as presented in the media is an overall negative one. Most of the fear present in Australian society is aggravated by media coverage. When discussing the representation of refugees it is important to take into consideration the language that is used and often associated with refugees. In most discussions presented in the national news, refugees are represented as a threat to

The prominence in relation to Asylum Seekers and Refugees has become a contemporary issue within Australian society and has amounted vast controversy in the media. A Refugee can be defined as a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster as found in the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees, in which Australia is a signatory to. Every refugee has or will be an asylum seeker. An Asylum Seeker is a person who has left their home country as a political refugee seeking asylum in another but has not had their claim assessed. Asylum seekers have experienced serious breaches of their rights, religious freedom and justice to reach safety. If asylum seekers are found to be

The Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court ruling that Australia’s detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal and that the centre must close has once again raised in Australian society the very divisive issue of asylum seekers and their treatment. Commentaries following the Supreme Court decision have portrayed Australia’s approach to asylum seekers as inhumane and uncaring. With continual political, humanitarian and media attention, the histrionics surrounding the issue are rife and many of the crucial facts as to Australia’s response to asylum seekers and the purpose for our offshore processing centres long forgotten. It’s time to restore a factual basis and balance to the discussion. Can Australians be proud of our

The article “The whole point of detention for asylum seekers is horror ,whether it is acknowledged or not” written by Waleed Aly, and “Turn back to policy success” written by Gary Humphries, both examine the issue of asylum seekers and the Australian government’s response. In Aly’s article, the main contention was to inform us on the immoral environment of detention centres. Humphries’ article discusses how the turn back policy is a success and is effective in both keep asylum seekers and our countries boarders safe. Both authors offer arguments to support their respective views. The opinions expressed are controversial in that their is much debate amongst the population about the

Australia, among many places, has legal restrictions and conventions in reference to the captivity and treatment of asylum seekers. These are seen through the ‘1951 Refugee Convention’ and it’s 1967 protocol. Legal guidelines are also seen in significant human rights treaties.

An asylum seeker is a person who has fled from their country but is not yet accepted as a refuge. Their refugee status is processed by the United Nations high commissioner for refugees or a government that is a participant to the United Nations refuge conventions. They decide whether they are in danger, or if they are trying to get into the country for free, in that case the government does not have to follow the convention relating to the status of refugees. Why do asylum seekers come to Australia?

Asylum seekers are people who have left their home country to find asylum in another country as a political refugee. Now in Australia, asylum seekers are being forced to detention centres by the Australian government. Citizens of the Australian community are deciding whether asylum seekers should be allowed to become residents in Australia. Asylum seekers should be given asylum in Australia because they have not committed any crimes and Australia takes a minimum number of asylum seekers in a year compared to other underdeveloped countries. Furthermore, asylum seekers have greatly contributed to the Australian society.

In the reality, asylum seekers who come across the seas by boat are not welcomed by Australian government. However, in the Advance Australia Fair, it says: “For those who've come across the seas we've boundless plains to share.” Locking up the asylum seekers who come across the seas to escape from persecution in the detain centres is absolutely not the way people share their “boundless plains”. Also the detain centres have a poor hygiene conditions (Greene & Sveen, 2014) and may have frequent raping and beating (Whyte & Gordon, 2014). Moreover, the new Border Force Act that has already assented recently in May (Parliament of Australia, 2015) will probably imprison the staffs in detain centres who tell the public the real situation inside the detain centres up to 2 years. This act will “effectively turns the Department of Immigration into a secret security organization with police powers” (Barns & Newhouse, 2015). Asylum seekers who come over the seas from India, Indonesia or some other countries to find a new home in Australia will not only not being welcomed as what Advance Australia Fair’s says, but also suffer from life threatening conditions in the detain

Prior research examining the general view of asylum seekers and immigrants in Australian society has classified that legitimacy, illegality, threats to national identity and threats to border security are the main themes regarding public discourse (Rowe & O’Brien, 2013). Particularly politicians in the media focus on these themes and represent asylum seekers as legitimate or illegitimate. This discourse that is evident through the media, the political climate and just in the general public which creates a negative image for any migrant in Australia, legal or illegal. Severe segregation for those untraditionally Australian occurs solely because of the negative stigma surrounding immigration to this country.

According to Hugo, Australia’s history with refugees can be characterised as a love-hate relationship, both in terms of government policy and public support and attitudes (Hugo 2001: 35). On the one hand Australia has resettled more than 700.000 refugees and displaced persons under its offshore program, who have been given a great deal of government and community support. On the other hand the country is carrying out harsh and highly criticised policies towards asylum seekers and refugees arriving by boat, which research shows that a majority of the Australian population supports (McKay et al. 2011: 115). According to a national survey conducted in January 2015 by an Australian media research firm, it was found that “58 percent of Australians considered the country’s position on asylum-seekers either appropriate or too soft; only 26 percent thought it too tough” (The New York Times 2015). These opinions are also exemplified through major political parties, shown by the fact that changing Australian Governments from different political parties have all carried out similar policies. This could be related to the fact, that Australia has a long history of selectivity and control in terms of the country’s immigration policies, tracing back to the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 (McKenzie and Hasmath 2013:

Good morning delegates of the youth parliament and observing members. Today I stand before you to discuss an issue that continues to evoke high emotions and create deep divisions within Australian society. I refer to the matter of refugees and Australia's immigration policy. Not since the second world war has the world faced such an upheaval with so many people displaced. In 2015 there were 65.3 million people forcibly displaced from their homes because of conflict and persecution. Developing countries hold 84% of refugees while wealthier countries like Australia prioritise the need to reduce asylum seekers within their borders. The current policy contravenes the proper treatment of refugees and asylum seekers; because regardless of their mode of entry, once here Australia has a duty to provide protection.

The resettlement of refugees in Australia is a controversial topic; many people believe that they come here to commit crime, change our culture and steal our jobs. ‘The Happiest Refugee’ has enhanced my belief that refugees should be allowed to live in Australia. I believe that refugees are here to escape war and persecution; they are not criminals, nor do they want to change our culture or steal our jobs. Refugees are generally grateful for their new lives in Australia and they embrace our culture. ‘The Happiest Refugee’ is a source of evidence that supports this.

Another perception gap which is about the case of boat from asylum seekers from Middle Eastern countries to Australia. Since Australia signed Convention of Refugee in 1954, Australia should accept refugee because the convention can be defined as an agreement from Australia to accept refugee. However, Australia implemented “stop the boat” policy by Tony Abbott, Prime Minister of Australia in 2013 as an action to refuse refugee to enter Australia. Since Australia does not accept refugee, the refugees are spread into some neighboring countries of Australia such as Indonesia while waiting for the right of asylum from government of Australia or UNHCR. Despite Australia has signed the convention, Australia does not get any sanction for not following

Refugees and asylum seekers are forced migrants. (Wahoush EO, 2009). The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that in 2012 there were 23,000 people on average a day forced to leave their homes and seek protection as a result of conflict or persecution, with 46% of these, children. (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2013). In the same year, Australia resettled 5,937 refugees. It was the third overall and second on a per capita basis and relative to national GDP (“Refugee Week”).