Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
By Jane McAdam, Fiona Chong, UNSW Press, $29.99.
This latest forthright guide by experts brings facts to bear on an ongoing debate that’s highly politicised. It’s an eye-opener.
Concern surrounding a range of problematic assumptions about refugees and asylum seekers is what promoted this book from McAdam, an academic, and Chong, a lawyer.
These anxieties had taken root in the Australian community, fuelled by political rhetoric and media scare campaigns.
“We knew that many of these assumptions were not based on evidence, and yet they were leading a growing number of ordinary Australians – decent, kind and well-meaning people – to support inhumane approaches to people in need of protection.”
“Over time, the slogans of successive governments may have changed, but the general sentiment has not.”
Refugees represent 10% of Australia’s annual immigration intake, and, secondly, the evidence shows that they are among the best-educated and most entrepreneurial members of the community.
People seeking asylum in Australia have become an easy target for a range of unease, from unemployment to national security and population size. It’s tricky to write a book like this. It’s important to note that refugee policy in Australia is a dynamic and regularly changing area of policy.
The book begins with an overview of the definition of a ‘refugee’ and their rights under international law. Also considered is the extent to which these rights are realised in Australian law. Some common myths about refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia are also addressed.
It concludes with Australia’s success as one of the world’s most harmonious, multicultural and socially mobile countries. “We have the capacity to accommodate and celebrate diversity and to be generous towards those who seek our protection.”
McAdam and Chong also chart a way forward, outlining what a human rights-based protection system might look like – and how Australia could reclaim global leadership on refugee issues.
