Australia and the Refugee/Asylum Seeker Issue

by John Kilner

How do world population pressures contribute to the refugee issue?
What international conflicts cause people to leave their country of origin?
Who are refugees and where do they come from?
Why does Australia take immigrants and refugees?
What population can Australia sustain without damaging the environment?
Who are the people smugglers and what role have they played in Australia's immigration debate?
Should asylum seekers be kept in detention centres both here and offshore? What alternatives exist?
What difficulties have faced asylum seekers in integrating into Australian society?
What is the role and responsibility of the media in presenting the issues?

These issues surrounding Australia's immigration policy have often been front-page news in recent times. The dramatic arrival of refugees in boats, the sinking of boats, violence and suicides in detention centres, detention centre riots and breakouts, the Tampa incident, the 'children overboard' affair, the system of temporary detention visas and the argument about the return of East Timorese refugees have all been the subject of community debate.

'We have our own unemployed and homeless to look after.'

How would you respond to this argument when discussing the issue of aid to refugees?

Describe how you would feel if you were forced to leave Australia to live in a country far away.

What would be your thoughts and feelings as you arrived in a strange country?

What would you miss about your home?

 

Students are challenged by a range of activities and questions which are designed to:

  • increase understanding of the global issues which have contributed to the dramatic change in asylum seekers in recent years;
  • look at the dilemmas for Australia in responding to this crisis and the policy chosen by government;
  • consider the place of refugees and asylum seekers in the context of Australia's immigration policy;
  • look at the privileges and responsibilities of Australian citizenship;
  • look at the human dimensions of the issue;
  • research the issue further;
  • consider the responsibilities of the media in presenting the news.


Research one of the countries that is a source of refugees.

What are some of the reasons why people have left this country? Are people still leaving? Is there any possibility of return for these people?

Student activities range from clarifying the issues, presenting a point of view, empathising with the plight of displaced people and analysing extracts from the media. There is also a range of extension and research activities which encourage students to look at current media coverage and conduct further research from the list of Australian and international websites.

The resource would be invaluable for SOSE/HSIE in linking students to contemporary issues about Australian immigration, multiculturalism, human rights and the values underpinning our democratic nation. English teachers will find much information to support the teaching of issues, presentation of a point of view, language analysis and empathic writing as well as information on how various parts of a newspaper work.

Should Australia accept only the young and educated or should Australia take a broad range of refugees?

Copies of the resource are available from the Age and cost $12 each. Order forms for the resource may be downloaded from http://www.education.theage.com.au/index.asp.