Max Opray for The Monthly writes, “boat turnbacks, refugee refoulement, island prisons, hotel detention, precarious temporary protection visas: Australia’s relentlessly cruel mistreatment of asylum seekers attracts international condemnation, but in domestic politics it is backed with bipartisan support. Desperate to avoid tabloid headlines about boat arrivals, both the Coalition and Labor are locked in a grim race to appear the toughest on border security. Many Australians feel a sense of powerlessness about this state of affairs, but an example of a more humane system overseas could pave the way for individuals to assist the people our leaders refuse to help.”
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