Australia's refugee dilemma

The United Nations definition of refugees: “People who are (1) outside their country of nationality or their usual country of residence, and (2) are unable or unwilling to return to that country due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.” Australia takes in many refugees legally and illegally, from all over the world, but in recent times the majority of would be refugees, or asylum seekers, come from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan and more often than not, have been smuggled across the seas in run-down fishing boats from Indonesia. In desperation, these asylum seekers are escaping from persecution either by the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein or the repressive rule of the Taliban and see Australia as the country which will offer them sanctuary, freedom of speech and religion. However, since September 2001, the Australian Government has passed legislation and the “Pacific Solution” to prevent asylum seekers reaching Australia - any that successfully reach our shores without the correct paperwork face mandatory detention. This program, with a 2002 update, combines television footage from ABC “Four corners” and “7.30 Report” including interviews with refugees, Philip Ruddock (Minister for Immigration) and John Olsen (the then Premier of South Australia) among others, with discussion on the situation of asylum seekers, legal and illegal, the rules for obtaining protection and temporary protection visas and the Australian Government’s position on this vexing and controversial issue. Suitable for Years 9-12 Secondary and Tertiary students. Teacher notes included