Over the last few days I have witnessed the culmination of a Faustian tragedy that has been slowing growing in Australia over the past few years. I watched as members of our Senate came close to breaking down in tears as their hands were forced to pass one of the ugliest pieces of legislation regarding asylum seekers in Canberra this week.
The federal government and in particular Scott Morrison [Minister for Immigration] held the lives of 1500 people, three hundred of those children, for ransom to push through a piece of legislation that stripped Australia of it’s right to be called a civilized country.
He told the Federal Senate that unless this bill was passed then the fate of those in detention would remain in limbo. He then said if they would pass the legislation then he would release those people before Christmas rather than sending them to Naru. Still facing defeat some of the senate found their phone numbers were given to those being held, children included so that they could contact them and beg them to pass this bill. It was voted through by a margin of one vote.
Image courtesy of We’re Better Than This Australia
The people currently in detention and those who would be immediately affected by Morrison’s blackmail had no idea exactly what this legislation would mean to the future of asylum seekers. All they knew was it was an opportunity to have their children let out of the Australian version of concentration camps. [The UN compared them to Guantanamo]
At this point even if they did understand all the implications they were too worn down physically and psychologically to care and as such were prepared to accept anything that set them free, even the prospect of it only being temporary.
The most disgusting part of this is that it was Scott Morrison who was keeping them there, he could have released them at any time in the past 12 months but chose instead to use their lives as living, breathing ransom notes.
The piece of legislation was called Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014. It is a long and quite complicated proposal but it has some very specific repercussions. These are:
- Scott Morrison, Federal Immigration Minister, now has the power to simply push any Asylum Seeker boat back out to sea and leave it there.
- Scott Morrison, Federal Immigration Minister, now has the power to block any person from ever making a claim for asylum on the barely defined grounds of “character” and “national interest.“
- Scott Morrison, Federal Immigration Minister, now has the power to not disclose his reasons for blocking these claims. Ever.
- Scott Morrison, Federal Immigration Minister, now has the power to order people to be detained without charge for indefinite periods of time.
- Scott Morrison, Federal Immigration Minister, now has the power to order people to be deported to any country of his choosing, even if he is aware that they will be tortured or murdered when they arrive back in that country.
- Scott Morrison, Federal Immigration Minister, now has the power to never be challenged on any decision he makes under this amended legislation.
As of Friday evening Australia now stands outside the UN and international law by removing any mention of the Refugee Convention, which by the way Australia had a part in developing in the aftermath of WW II to prevent the huge loss of human life for those displaced during the conflict and after. It is also now the case that Australia no longer sides with the ruling that those seeking to flee war, persecution [religious, political etc] or major catastrophe in their own countries, be given shelter.
Despite the anger I have I also feel saddened for those whose hands were forced in this matter and even more for those who held out against the barrage of emotional blackmail. Morrison and his cohorts have behaved despicably in their quest to make others feel accountable for those children when it was he and his governments policies of ‘Stop The Boats‘, a euphemism for an old LNP policy known as the White Australia Policy, who kept them there.
What horrible choices these Senators had. To vote against this legislation, knowing if it was defeated Morrison would take delight in rubbing those kids in their faces while claiming his hands were clean. He played with the lives of children and the conscience of the parliament as if they were puppets set to dance at his command.
Or the other choice, to vote with the LNP knowing it to be an immoral law but desperate to do something to help those who were being used as pawns in game of political chess. Despite the knowledge that this act is condemned by the UN, The Australian Human Rights Commission as well as contravening international law they also had to balance the immediate welfare of children deemed in harms way through no fault of their own.
I have never ever lashed out at someone is regards to their faith. In fact I respect everyone’s right to follow the god/goddess of their choice. But when a man like Morrison stands in parliament at the beginning of this term and claims that the fate of those children weighs on him as a Christian and a father and then proceeds to use them as game pieces I draw a line. He is a hypocrite in the purest definition of the word.
Some of the most basic tenets of Christian belief are tied to compassion and upholding those who need help, the poor, the homeless the persecuted. Yet this disgrace of a human being has gone out of his way to force many of the senate in to a deal the devil himself who find hard to swallow.
So I have a question for him:
Mr Morrison if you truly are a Christian just how do you plan to explain to your god your actions? All I can think of is that you are one of those who view those of different faith or colour as less than human and as such feels no need to apply Christian charity to them. Nothing you could do from this day on will ever wash the blood and pain from your hands for your actions since you took Immigration as your portfolio – don’t kid yourself about that. I truly believe that there is an afterlife where we are judged for our actions in this life. I may see it from a different religion to you but I know one thing for sure – you’re damned in the eyes of your own god.
Below is one of the senators, Sarah Hanson-Young, speaking against this legislation. It is obvious at times to see her being torn emotionally because one man wanted power without repercussions and was prepared to use the lives and deaths of men, women and children to get what he wanted.
Unload and Unwind 
For the disadvantaged, the world is not a good place to live in. So very tragic.
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No – I don’t know how we ended up with a society that uses people the same way you would a tool. It’s not just Australia but all over the world – I thought we were better than that or at least trying to be but it only seems to be getting worse for those who lack power.
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Yes. The rise in intolerance, isn’t it? Two years back, the shootout in Norway was also about the issue of immigration. On one side we aim for globalization; on another we create barriers.
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So good to see a strong woman in the right place.
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One hopes that “This too shall pass,” the ministry of hate seemingly spreading throughout the world. And how awful to see it in one’s own country.
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It is but I’m afraid the idea of this too shall pass isn’t going to be good enough anymore. People are dying who shouldn’t be and children are being damaged, their childhoods shattered for no reason other than political gain. It has to stop and waiting two years for an election means two years of lives ruined because so many of us go with the ‘this too shall pass’ idea. We’re trying a number of avenues to force a double dissolution of parliament which mean an immediate election. The government has managed to dodge it so far and parliament has risen for the year. There won’t be another opening until 2015 when it sits again so for the next month we’re going around Australia door knocking for signatures in every state. It’s a combined effort of a number of aid agencies and community groups as well as backing by the different churches and business leaders – it’s all we have at the moment. I just hope it will be enough.
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Believe me, I totally agree with you, including the fact that nothing will pass if we don’t work at it, as you do. I didn’t mean to imply we should just sit back and wait for it to work out. I do mean that current activism gives me hope.
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Oh I didn’t mean to imply that at all – it’s more my own frustration that it got this far.
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Excellent post Jenni. It is so clear (at least to me) how abusive this legislation is. I once read that the level of civilization of a society is determined by how that society treats their most vulnerable and their weakest members. By that ,measure Australia is becoming less civilized by the day. I am truly hoping that your organization can turn this around. In my experience Australia has a repuation as being one of the most free. fair and equitable nations in the world. It is such a shame to see a small group of powerful people bring it down for their own self-interests. As far as the sociopath label is concerned, it certainly seems warranted. As an aside and likely related -I read an article some time ago that studied the Executives of major companies and the companies themselves. The thesis came about because here in Canada and in the US, companies are treated as entities under the law – the same as an individual. So the question then becomes, if they are entities, then what type of peronalities do they have? And what type of personalities do those running them have? It turns out that most companies would be categorized as sociopatic (as you would expect, as they have no emotions and can’t have empathy or care) and their executives show a much higher tendency to sociopathic behaviour than one would find in the gneral public. Whether sociopaths are attracted to those positions or the positions bring out the sociopathic tendencies, is hard to tell and immaterial. The behaviour exhibited is sociopathic.
The purpose of this slight detour is to point out that if the government bases it’s policies on business parameters, and is guided by those who hold business in the highest regard, then those policies and the politicians who draft them are much more likely to be sociopathic themselves.Which is becoming more and more apparent. Now don’t get me wrong – I am not anti-business – I simply think that it is only one component of a healthy society and needs to be kept in reign and in balance with other major components such as social welfare and health and leadership. When business principles start to become the most important thing factor, it leads to bad politics and policies that are harmful and dangerous.
Anyway, great post Jenni – every little bit of common sense helps.
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I have no words…or at least not ones I can put in print.
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I know exactly how you feel – I heard how the vote went of Friday night and it was 24 hrs before I could summon enough composure to write about it.
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I hope this “Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment” will be challenged in the High Court of Australia as unconstitutional. It can’t be true, that our parliament can create a law that is so devilish.
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The High Court has already ruled that the indefinate detention of asylum seekers is illegal as is the towing back of boats. This was months ago and the government has ignored to push this legislation through that removes any challenge to decisions made by the department. It is effectively saying that the High Court has no right to judge, comment, interfere or rule on any decision made by this government in relation to Immigration and Border Protection. It’s too late to challenge this bill and it would be unlikely that any challenge prior to this passing being considered. The only hope is to have a change of government and hope that they revoke this legislation but unless a double dissolution can be forced that will take two years. Two years worth of damage with no hope or appeal for those caught by it.
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It is a disgrace !! 😦
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Thank you so much, dear Jenni, for this post and all the links. I took the liberty of publishing one of your comments to this post as well as using a link to one of the articles.
http://auntyuta.com/2014/12/07/our-parliament-in-disarray/
I pray that you should find a few peaceful hours during this time of Advent and that you can look forward to some celebrations with your family and some joy at Christmas. I reckon the family can be a source of strength in these trying times.
I just thought is it perhaps possible to organize some wonderful Christmas cheer for the released asylum seekers from Christmas Island? 🙂
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Thank you – and I wish you well this Christmas. Despite everything we should all take the time to appreciate our families and loved ones as well as spare a thought for those who need our good will.
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Thank you, Jenni, thank you very much for this! 🙂
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Such a sad day for your country and for humanity. Not only is Mr. Morrison acting against Christian charity but also against the second of the two great commandments – to love your neighbor as yourself. In my denomination (Roman Catholic), there is a well-defined social justice doctrine which upholds the dignity of each person and articulates how those in need – of food, shelter, protection, etc. – have the first claim on a society to meet their needs and alleviate their suffering. The lack of human decency and compassion is staggering.
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He said the other day, he will not be lectured about morals.He is an upright Christian.
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Wonder which bible he’s reading ’cause it ain’t one I’ve ever heard of.
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He was also incredibly disingenuous when he spoke of releasing those children on Christmas Island. He said they would be bought to the mainland but has not said whether they will go into detention in NT or into the community nor does it mean that they won’t be fast-tracked back to their own country under this new law. It’s evil – simply evil what has happened and I know it’s a dramatic word to use but it’s the only one that fits.
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