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[Last_colossi]

Well I don't know. It seems like while there are some upstanding people fighting about this, the government that created and allowed such atrocity to flourish are in fact elected and supported by a great many people as well in the Australia.

Or at the very least, a great many people turned a blind eye towards it. Even the Australians in here acknowledged such a thing ("The fight is lonely")

You obviously haven't lived here or voted here before because if you did you would know that we are forced to vote for people we don't want, it's literally either dogshit or catshit that you have to choose from, we don't have the privilege of a system that is trully democratic and even when we rarely do have a good politcal party running for government they never get in due to a completely convoluted capitalistic voting system that completely favours the larger parties.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

So is there some kind of movement from those 99.9% by now? We've had a number of threads about Australia and the refugees on GAF, so surely by now the Australian people should have realized what's going on?

"The Australian people" don't all read Gaf, lol. A summary of the reasoning is detailed in my previous post a few comments up.

We've had protests at mainland hospitals where asylum seekers go after injuries occur from boats capsizing or incidents in detention seekers with people demanding they be allowed to stay. It's been happeneing, though not as often as it should and it's rarely broadcasted on major news networks. It also doesn't help that our two main political options are both shitty to asylum seekers.

 

[Wind's Howling]

Stuff like this makes my stomach turn. It is unbelievable that a country like Australia has let this happen, especially with the attention that asylum seekers have got the past couple of years.

These employees; guards and what not, need to be put on trial. Let the entire world see what kind of scumbag you are. Treat people like an animal, get treaten like an animal.

 

[darkace]

Stuff like this makes my stomach turn. It is unbelievable that a country like Australia has let this happen, especially with the attention that asylum seekers have got the past couple of years.

These employees; guards and what not, need to be put on trial. Let the entire world see what kind of scumbag you are. Treat people like an animal, get treaten like an animal.

The reason that we have it like this is because hundreds drowned making the crossing when we had a more compassionate border policy. A number that has now dwindled into insignificance.

This is not something with an easy answer.

 

[Laughing Banana]

You obviously haven't lived here or voted here before because if you did you would know that we are forced to vote for people we don't want, it's literally either dogshit or catshit that you have to choose from, we don't have the privilege of a system that is trully democratic and even when we rarely do have a good politcal party running for government they never get in due to a completely convoluted capitalistic voting system that completely favours the larger parties.

So basically, a hopeless situation that won't ever change?

Apparently being a signatory of Convention on the Rights of the Child meant jackshit as far as the Australian government is concerned

 

[Mr_Appleby]

This has been happening since 2001. I remember the Tampa incident and what a beat up it was vividly. The media have a heavy hand in this too as the majority read murdoch-controlled news which gleefully promotes fear and xenophobia in an utterly transparent way to manipulate the country's politics ever right-wards. News outlets that report on this are 'lefty whinger commie rags'. People have been protesting, again since 2001 and still recently but not enough, and the newspapers and middle Australia portray them as "hippy lefty flogs with arts degrees hurr hurr" (don't ask what a flog is, I've yet to work it out). There are activist groups you can donate to like the SRAC and others.

But yes it's an abhorrent affair and the people who would see it ended are in the minority, maligned by large sections of the media and populace, and after 15 years of protest and things only getting worse feel powerless.

 

[Lime]

It's so severely frightening the contemporary way that societies increasingly dehumanise, marginalize, and oppress refugees and even immigrants to the point of fascist methods of dealing with the challenge.

 

[Frankfurter]

"The Australian people" don't all read Gaf, lol. A summary of the reasoning is detailed in my previous post a few comments up.

We've had protests at mainland hospitals where asylum seekers go after injuries occur from boats capsizing or incidents in detention seekers with people demanding they be allowed to stay. It's been happeneing, though not as often as it should and it's rarely broadcasted on major news networks. It also doesn't help that our two main political options are both shitty to asylum seekers.

That's not my point, lol. My point is that people from all over the world can and do read news about this, so it should be relatively easy for Australians to find these news, too.

Is there a party in Australia that's against this policy and is it getting any kind of attention?

 

[Mr_Appleby]

So basically, a hopeless situation that won't ever change?

Apparently being a signatory of Convention on the Rights of the Child meant jackshit as far as the Australian government is concerned

The various governments have violated a whole bunch of shit in this debacle over more than a decade. That's why they intercept and inter offshore as it let's them handwave around some maritime agreements. it's not just "means jackshit" but "actively go out of our way to loophole around basic human rights"

 

[Mr_Appleby]

That's not my point, lol. My point is that people from all over the world can and do read news about this, so it should be relatively easy for Australians to find these news, too.

Is there a party in Australia that's against this policy and is it getting any kind of attention?

Greens http://greens.org.au/policies/immigration-refugees

Edit: the problem with the news is that they're preaching to the choir. The people who care already know. The people who don't know won't read the guardian or believe that the newspapers are making it up out of some kind of anti-white-australian agenda.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

That's not my point, lol. My point is that people from all over the world can and do read news about this, so it should be relatively easy for Australians to find these news, too.

Is there a party in Australia that's against this policy and is it getting any kind of attention?

One of the major parties, Labor, claims that they want to improve things, though their opinions still aren't great. Here's a link: http://www.alp.org.au/asylumseekers

Greens are another option, but will never win an election.

 

[Yagharek]

This has been happening since 2001. I remember the Tampa incident and what a beat up it was vividly. The media have a heavy hand in this too as the majority read murdoch-controlled news which gleefully promotes fear and xenophobia in an utterly transparent way to manipulate the country's politics ever right-wards. News outlets that report on this are 'lefty whinger commie rags'. People have been protesting, again since 2001 and still recently but not enough, and the newspapers and middle Australia portray them as "hippy lefty flogs with arts degrees hurr hurr" (don't ask what a flog is, I've yet to work it out). There are activist groups you can donate to like the SRAC and others.

But yes it's an abhorrent affair and the people who would see it ended are in the minority, maligned by large sections of the media and populace, and after 15 years of protest and things only getting worse feel powerless.

Another truly offensive line of "thought" from the right wing/murdoch arselickers and Liberal Party is that by stopping the boats they are actually being kind by saving lives at sea.

If that were true they would be howling today about how disgusting the rape of children in detention is.

The silence instead is deafening.

 

[Last_colossi]

That's not my point, lol. My point is that people from all over the world can and do read news about this, so it should be relatively easy for Australians to find these news, too.

Is there a party in Australia that's against this policy and is it getting any kind of attention?

Yes, but the way our voting system works is so convoluted that it makes it very difficult to vote for the party of your choice, for example this last election there were about 60 parties running for government.

When your voting if you want to vote for either labor or liberal you simply tick and number once on either party but if you want to vote for an actual democratic party (independent party) you have to number every single party from highest to lowest preference which is ridiculous and only very few Australians understand how to do it correctly.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

The reason that we have it like this is because hundreds drowned making the crossing when we had a more compassionate border policy. A number that has now dwindled into insignificance.

This is not something with an easy answer.

There's a hell of a large gap between "use a policy of offshore detention" and "turn a blind eye to the sexual and physical abuse of children".

 

[hirokazu]

THE BOATS, SON, THE BOATS!

 

[Yagharek]

There's a hell of a large gap between "use a policy of offshore detention" and "turn a blind eye to the sexual and physical abuse of children".

About 3000km or so.

Australian governments have a history of enabling child abuse, so this should be treated as another case of wilful ignorance at best.

 

[Theonik]

There's a hell of a large gap between "use a policy of offshore detention" and "turn a blind eye to the sexual and physical abuse of children".

It's not even that. Recent laws making it illegal for physicians involved in these facilities to report on their experiences is covering up the situation and effectively condoning that behaviour.

 

[Walpurgis]

Sanctions need to be placed against Australia until they learn basic human rights. This is absolutely disgusting.

 

[Jintor]

Yes, but the way our voting system works is so convoluted that it makes it very difficult to vote for the party of your choice, for example this last election there were about 60 parties running for government.

When your voting if you want to vote for either labor or liberal you simply tick and number once on either party but if you want to vote for an actual democratic party (independent party) the you have to number every single party from highest to lowest preference which is ridiculous and only very few Australians understand how to do it correctly.

This has changed to be easier recently with the senate reforms. I think overall we have a fairly healthy democracy with less polarisation than other similar democracies. However, with the specific issue of asylum seekers, our overall choices are horrible.

Was there a supreme court challenge against the reporting gag yet? It doesn't seem to have stemmed the flood of leaks.

 

[sono]

So Australia is dead to me now

 

[Paz]

The problem is the current Australian populace are a bunch of assholes who would have voted for Donald Drumpf if he was running a few years ago and promised to 'stop the boats'.

Most people legitimately don't care about this shit that is happening, out of sight out of mind, which is why we support and re-elect a government that made it illegal to even report on the abuse. It's why Pauline Hanson has a bunch of senate seats.

We are now more than ever in my life a nation of fuckwits really.

 

[Polari]

Australia is a disgrace.

 

[Paz]

Australia is a disgrace.

In 2016 this is a factually accurate statement.

I am ashamed of the actions of my government and my countrymen and women who elected them, these are known atrocities that people are turning a blind eye to because it's inconvenient to do otherwise.

I regret not doing more to effect change in the country I call home.

 

[Jintor]

I can't believe people are more in a tizzy over the goddamn census right now

 

[Fantastapotamus]

What the fuck are you doing Australia? You used to be cool

 

[Omikron]

I can't believe people are more in a tizzy over the goddamn census right now

It effects them directly. Having people on some fuck knows where island is easy to ignore.

 

[remz]

I can't believe people are more in a tizzy over the goddamn census right now

census bullshit is totes a smokescreen for this blatent abuse of human rights

 

[Chittagong]

Having said that, where are you from and how's your human rights record.

Really man? How does that have anything to do with anything?

 

[Cerium]

Having said that, where are you from and how's your human rights record.

Said it before, will say it again: Trump himself couldn't come up with this shit.

And no there is no equivalent in American border security. Not even Sheriff Arpaio's infamous tent city, considered the worst and most shameful state level overreach, comes close to this.

 

[Cohsae]

I can't believe people are more in a tizzy over the goddamn census right now

Yeah this has barely registered on the news as far as I can see.
We already knew all of this.
I don't really understand how we get people to care.
The Tampa affair is still fucking people over a decade later.

 

[chicko1983]

Serious question, but does anyone know what were the statistics for abuse and violence were like during 2012, when Gillard reopened the centre?

Why did the study only collect data from 2013 onwards?

 

[Neo C.]

Murdoch is a disease. Incredible how much influence his media has in the English speaking world.

 

[darkace]

There's a hell of a large gap between "use a policy of offshore detention" and "turn a blind eye to the sexual and physical abuse of children".

Oh for sure, although I would like a better source than the Guardian before I draw further conclusions.

 

[shintoki]

From the title, I thought this was another dumb teen doing a stupid stunt.

Then I read the OP.....


WTF.

 

[cheezcake]

Oh for sure, although I would like a better source than the Guardian before I draw further conclusions.

What the fuck, you think the Guardian forged all those reports in the open database they published?

 

[darkace]

What the fuck, you think the Guardian forged all those reports in the open database they published?

No, but I understand how easily you can selectively report certain context and statistics in media to push an agenda, and it's something that the Guardian has mastered. I'm as wary of their reporting as I am of The Australians opinion pieces.

At the end of the day, as I said before, there's no easy answers here. A strict detention regime is a necessity to stop a worse tragedy from happening. If it's a choice between two evils I'll choose harming dozens mentally over killing hundreds.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

The "Yeah, but what about you!!" posts here might be among the most depressing things I've ever read on GAF

No, but I understand how easily you can selectively report certain context and statistics in media to push an agenda, and it's something that the Guardian has mastered.

At the end of the day, as I said before, there's no easy answers here. A strict detention regime is a necessity to stop a worse tragedy from happening. If it's a choice between two evils I'll choose harming dozens mentally over killing hundreds.

What.
Why would not treating people like shit result in getting "hundreds killed" again?

 

[cheezcake]

No, but I understand how easily you can selectively report certain context and statistics in media to push an agenda, and it's something that the Guardian has mastered.

At the end of the day, as I said before, there's no easy answers here. A strict detention regime is a necessity to stop a worse tragedy from happening. If it's a choice between two evils I'll choose harming dozens mentally over killing hundreds.

You can read the reports yourself if you don't want to read the article. They're not prettier.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Oh for sure, although I would like a better source than the Guardian before I draw further conclusions.

The Guardian's reportage, which is a separate arm from their op. eds and comment section, is peerless in UK media - at best the Telegraph before they got restructured was comparable, but no more. There is no paper which has such a strong record of investigative journalism. This is not an agenda being "pushed"; they have simply assisted in the leak of files that every single Australian ought to be forced to sit down and read.

Makes me ashamed of my country.

 

[darkace]

You can read the reports yourself if you don't want to read the article. They're not prettier.

By that I mean I don't know how prevalent these situations are in normal prisons or in our previous on-shore immigration regime. Are the situations markedly worse than what we would see there? That's context you need.

What.
Why would not treating people like shit result in getting "hundreds killed" again?

Because a boat trip to Australia is incredibly dangerous, and the boats they took weren't seaworthy nor the crew well-seasoned. We had dozens of boats making the trip and many sank in the first few years of a relaxed immigration policy. And that was increasing before we changed tact.

The Australian people don't like this either, including myself, but there are no easy choices.

 

[Dilly]

No, but I understand how easily you can selectively report certain context and statistics in media to push an agenda, and it's something that the Guardian has mastered. I'm as wary of their reporting as I am of The Australians opinion pieces.

At the end of the day, as I said before, there's no easy answers here. A strict detention regime is a necessity to stop a worse tragedy from happening. If it's a choice between two evils I'll choose harming dozens mentally over killing hundreds.

No middleground between mentally abusing children and keeping track of people illegally entering the country.

Nope, not at all.

 

[1.21Gigawatts]

I feel like parts of world have progressed to a certain point, so they can afford beeing good, because they have everything they need, but at the slightest signs of trouble depressingly large parts of society quickly show their barbaric roots. We're only acting morally when its easy.

Its a sign of moral bankruptcy that even western governments give in to the fascist, racist and xenophobic cravings of the people. Utterly disgusting, Australia.

 

[NEO0MJ]

What.
Why would not treating people like shit result in getting "hundreds killed" again?

Don't you know? The terrorists are coming. They're not just inside the boat, they are the boat! There's more than meets the eye with them.

In 2016 this is a factually accurate statement.

I am ashamed of the actions of my government and my countrymen and women who elected them, these are known atrocities that people are turning a blind eye to because it's inconvenient to do otherwise.

I regret not doing more to effect change in the country I call home.

Gift them copies of Assault Android Cactus and ask them to change things.

 

[Last_colossi]

The "Yeah, but what about you!!" posts here might be among the most depressing things I've ever read on GAF

That may be the case but it doesn't make the "Australians are racist as fuck" comments any more valid.

 

[bomma_man]

So I guess the new cool thing is to hate on Australians for the disgusting unhuman acts that these vile pieces of shit have commited behind 99.9% of the populations backs.



Don't categorize a whole country based on a couple racist shit bags that got into a position of power, remember the 20/80 ratio.

The country has known about this stuff for years. Don't be naive, most Australians don't care about brown people, especially if they come here on a boat.

Edit: and I guess you proved your own point about the comexity of the voting system because you clearly don't understand it lol. The reason labor became so hawkish on this issue is because they couldn't win an election otherwise. Simple as that. Not because our system is 'undemocratic' (actually it's miles better than America's, Canada's or the UK's).

Also, if any one didn't realise, we elected four senators from a Trump/Le Pen/Farage esque white nationalist party in the most recent election, so it's probably only gonna get worse.

 

[Fantastapotamus]

That may be the case but it doesn't make the "Australians are racist as fuck" comments any more valid.

Okay. So?
I fail (again) to see a connection here or what this has to do with what I said.

 

[Succinct Verbosity]

The reason that we have it like this is because hundreds drowned making the crossing when we had a more compassionate border policy. A number that has now dwindled into insignificance.

This is not something with an easy answer.

Well I guess the sexual assaults really have done their job.


Sorry, I meant asylum seeker policies.

 

[Cohsae]

But Peter Dutton told me that if we let the brown people in they'll simultaneously steal my jobs and my centrelinks.
Fuck he's a disaster. Fucking mouth breathing potato.

 

[RS4-]

Sad and disgusting story. Never heard about it until now. Fuck everyone involved.

I hope something can be done

 

[cheezcake]

By that I mean I don't know how prevalent these situations are in normal prisons or in our previous immigration regime. Are the situations markedly worse than what we would see there?

Ignoring the fact that this behaviour would also be abhorrent in "normal prisons", you realise we're talking about men,woman and children whose only crime is trying to flee their own war torn countries. Where's your empathy?