In recent years, the conversation surrounding immigrants and refugees has grown increasingly segmented, bitter, and misleading. This has been markedly noted in Australia, with key political figures such as John Howard asserting ‘we will decide who comes to this country’, and later Kevin Rudd in 2013 ensuring ‘if you come by boat you will never permanently live in Australia’. This narrative was further cemented with Tony Abbott’s ‘stop the boats’ victory that year. This narrative seems inextricably linked to Australia’s modern political scene.
The political divide on the matter is clear: for the Coalition, the mission is to halt supposed ‘illegals’. The Labor Party words it as ‘saving lives at sea’. However, the objective for both sides remains the same — maintaining distance between asylum seekers and the Australian community. These individuals are often stripped of their dignity and personhood, reduced to numerical identifiers rather than being referred to by their names.
It’s not too surprising, then, that Australians massively rallied against immigration recently. This could be perceived as the converging point of years of political manipulation through the immigration narrative. However, the same channels that propagated anti-immigration views could be the key to shifting this paradigm.
The immigration rhetoric wasn’t always so hostile. In the post-World War II era, Prime Minister Ben Chifley ushered in 170,000 refugees and others displaced from Europe. In the 1970s, the inaugural influx of Vietnamese asylum seekers were met with humanity and integrity under the mandate of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. This was a time when there was no mandatory long-term detention. The arrived immigrants weren’t portrayed as ominous intruders.
As an esteemed Immigration Minister noted in 2023, the immigration journey that commenced seventy years earlier transformed Australia into a vibrant multicultural society. A diverse society fundamentally shaped by nearly one million refugees who arrived since the end of the Second World War. This evolution is something Australians should be proud of.
The brutish behavior observed at the recent anti-immigration rallies has been universally denounced by Australian politicians. ‘Strong borders keep us safe, but also empower us to extend compassion and generosity to those escaping warfare,’ says the Federal Opposition Leader. The Home Affairs Minister echoes this sentiment, adding there’s no room in Australia for those instigating division and challenging social harmony.
Though, we cannot simply disregard concerns regarding immigration’s impact on housing, living expenses, and infrastructure. Many of these concerns are fueled by falsehoods giving momentum to a far-right agenda. The dissemination of such incorrect data obstructs evidence-based policy making, leading to flawed laws and regulations.
An immigration representative emphasized the beneficial aspects of immigration, expressing profound respect and admiration for refugee and migrant communities contributing significantly to the society. ‘When we discuss immigration, we must remember that it involves actual people, actual families,’ he commented.
Upon attaining office in 2022, the current Prime Minister emphasized the necessity for a future vision for Australia that fosters ‘unity and optimism, not fear and division’. There seems to be an unprecedented level of cross-party support for this sentiment. Yet, the overarching structure of Australia’s asylum policies continues to remain intact, predominantly focusing on deterrence, interception, and relocation.
This week, the parliament plans to consider a bill to expedite the removal of about 350 non-citizens to Nauru. Following a 2023 verdict by Australia’s High Court, indefinite detention of immigrants was deemed unlawful. To comply, Australia will pay A$408 million upfront and then $70 million annually to Nauru to accommodate these individuals.
However, this solution comes with substantial financial and moral implications. It may resolve a political issue but at a significant cost. Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner points out issues like economic disparity, housing security, and job precarity are increasingly common, especially for individuals from migrant backgrounds. Dangerous, exploitative anti-migrant rhetoric isn’t the answer, we require empirical solutions to these challenges.
Current positive affirmations about immigrants will remain superficial unless we observe real policy changes. Governments can, and must, extend help to those most in need globally. This doesn’t entail ignoring concerns about housing, infrastructure, and cost of living pressures. Yet, it necessitates clarifying that migrants aren’t the problem driving these issues, and curtailing immigration could actually boomerang.
Though immigrants are continually blamed for Australia’s housing crisis, evidence shows otherwise. In contrast, substantial proof exists demonstrating the crucial role migrants play in the country’s economic evolution. This is the narrative that politicians should be promoting.
Some politicians have begun advocating for this perspective but it will take time to reverse years of contrary messaging. The challenge of shifting a narrative that has been embedded through decades will require persistent efforts and a resilient communication strategy.
In summary, the discourse around immigration in Australia has turned more negative in recent years, influenced by tactical political maneuvers. However, the evolution of this conversational tone implies potential for change. The same channels that have been used to foster negative attitudes could be the instruments for engendering understanding, empathy, and acceptance. But changing such deep-rooted convictions will require time, effort, and absolute, unwavering determination.
The post Australia’s Immigration Discourse: A Long History of Changing Tides appeared first on Real News Now.
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