Australian Greens: Green Issue Editorial August 2022

By The Green Issue Editors

August Green Issue focusses on Australia’s contorted relationship with refugees. Coalition and Labor governments appear to be in lockstep with respect to boat turnbacks, offshore processing and no settlement of those arriving by boat, seemingly in tune with majority public opinion. The only political party with significant parliamentary representation advocating a more humane approach is The Greens. Rob Delves suggests that there are opportunities for changing people’s attitudes. Such change could bring about the shift in voting that could see the end of these policies.

Joana Partyka puts the case that asylum seekers are really people like us, but have been faced with intolerable circumstances in their country of origin, forcing them to leave. But she highlights the contorted and hypocritical views of Australian governments, and their citizens, preventing them from being empathetic to asylum seekers. Tamsyn Heynes examines as to why these antagonistic attitudes towards refugees exist. Basically, it is underlying racism, reinforced by the politics of division and media stereotyping.

Reneé Pettitt-Schipp relates her first-hand encounter with refugees arriving by boat at Christmas Island, as a teacher of refugee children.

The perspective of a long incarcerated refugee is conveyed by Dawn Barrington, in all of its inhumane detail. And Senator Jordon Steele-John further elaborates on this blatant injustice and his determination and that of his fellow Greens parliamentarians to confront the dehumanizing refugee policies of the Coalition and Labor governments.

However, we also include an article, by John Beaton, relating a mutually gratifying encounter with African refugees, which was more a function of good luck than good refugee policy.

Chris Johansen examines likely future scenarios with climate change inevitably enforcing increasing numbers of climate refugees.

And, Alison Xamon relates, in view of government indifference cum animosity to asylum seekers, what concerned citizens can do to alleviate the challenges faced by migrants, refugees and detainees.

Finally, we have the two-monthly reports from our hard-working MPs, Senator Dorinda Cox, Senator Jordon Steele-John and Hon Brad Pettitt, MLC.

Header photo: A regular Friday evening refugee vigil in Fremantle, entertained by Dawn Farrington (with guitar). _{Credit: Leonie Alexander}