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Refugee Issue Is About Our Values! - Howard Emanuel

Long before the Refugee/Asylum seeker issue became a contemporary matter in Australia, I personally held the view that we as a nation of peoples, given our fortuitous circumstances had a fundamental humanitarian obligation.... Read More...

By Howard Emanuel - 5th October 2004 - Back to News

Long before the Refugee/Asylum seeker issue became a contemporary matter in Australia, I personally held the view that we as a nation of peoples, given our fortuitous circumstances had a fundamental humanitarian obligation to consider and support those less fortunate than ourselves. Quite obviously a great many of those seeking a new life in Australia have endured if not the overt repression’s of their often-brutal governments, then they have certainly been denied the freedoms and opportunities we as Australians take for granted.

Long before this matter became a political issue it was a moral issue that did not so much challenge our political views as it is being made to now, but in fact questioned our values as individuals and as a nation. Before the debate abounded in regards to whether we had sufficient water to meet the needs of the existing community let alone those migrating to or entering this country by other means, before we wondered aloud as to how many people our cities could comfortably accommodate, we simply I think reasoned if there were those that were suffering then we were able to and should help them.

Then something happened, something changed in the way Australia looked at these issues. We began to consider ourselves and not those whom were suffering, we the comfortable, the well off, the safe and secure began to question the right of others to join us in our privileged circumstances. We considered that our capacity to help was diminished and perhaps in the extreme in some quarters fully expended.

Certainly no one is suggesting that we have a "no holds bared" immigration and refugee policy, that we do not indeed have some whimsical view that we have the capacity to accommodate all the victims of repression from across the world. But who in all honesty could say that our current approach to these matters is at the top end of our capabilities? That indeed Australia is doing all we can do, that we have little left to offer, no more resources to share.

When did we loose the ability to think of others less fortunate, when did the people of Australia begin to consider ourselves before the needy. Is it fair to say that our current values, our current views on international issues are not similar to the way we view life in Australia? That we turn our backs on those that struggle for all manner of reasons. On those that life has treated less kindly than ourselves.

If this were the case then it would seem that the poison of greed that has infiltrated our hearts and minds on a national level would now be exported to the communities of the world. If we are to see ourselves as compassionate global citizens, if we are to command respect across the world for the work we undertake to alleviate poverty and suffering we must open our hearts and our doors to the many refugees that ask for our support.

If we are to adopt the role of global peacemaker, of an international humanitarian benefactor, we must first address the attitudes we have adopted to the oppressed and downtrodden in our own country, the underpaid the underprivileged, then by natural extension our views and importantly our policies on refugees will be based on compassion and support, not on whether we are able to share our manifest fortunes or not.

Thank you.

Howard Emanuel.

Independent Candidate for the Federal Seat of McMillan.

Mobile:   0400 158 896

E-mail:   howard@howardemanuel.com

Website: www.HowardEmanuel.com

"Bringing the People back into Policy!"

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: kris@howardemanuel.com

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