It's not illegal to seek asylum.

The state of the asylum seeker debate in Australia continues in it's deplorable state. Too many people still languish in detention centers both on the Australian mainland and offshore. Recently a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers were sent home after facing 'enhanced screening' of their status.

One aspect of the debate that seems to be worsening is the misinformation and outright lies used by the federal opposition to bolster it's pseudo-policy on immigration.

Tony Abbott and members of the federal opposition continue in their use of the term 'illegal' to describe people seeking asylum from Australia. This despite Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) that states:

"Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution."

This how we count Tony - That's Better!

Australia is a signatory to the UDHR. Australia is also a party to the United Nations Refugee Convention. This guarantees an individuals rights to seek asylum. Any politicians statements to the contrary are a feeble attempt to manipulate the debate for political point scoring.

It is an irrefutable fact that there is a continued, increasing series of arrivals by boat of people seeking asylum. These people are the victims of the tumultuous global situation. That's a polite way of saying that throughout the world there is war, civil conflicts and the ethnic cleansing of minority groups. People fear these things. They fear the death and far worse they fear the savagery, the rape and the torture that are fast becoming the everyday staple of our evening news.

Our news is their lives.

Australia does not suffer from war. Though we know violence, it is nothing like the scale that other countries experience. If we are the destination of choice for refugees it is not because of any policy a government does or does not enact. It is because we appear safe. 

Abbott continues to proclaim the dangerous policy of turning back asylum seeker boats. This despite his own admission that the process would be dangerous for asylum seekers as well as Australian Defense Force personnel. A former defense force chief has even suggested turning back boats in international waters could constitute an act of piracy.

Does the public allow this rhetoric of 'toughness' because it believes the lie that seeking asylum is somehow illegal?

If so then it is the duty of all Australians to inform themselves on the issue. If you're reading this you've got the information in front of you - now do something with it.

Tell your friends. Call them out when they repeat the lies they've heard in the media. Best of all help correct the political opinion; because politicians only spout this nonsense because they think it's what we want to hear. If they thought there were votes in a more humanitarian refugee policy we'd be building integration centers not detention centers...

__________________

For further information about asylum seekers and their rights please check out the Refugee Council of Australia. You can also contact them on: admin@refugeecouncil.org.au.

If you'd like to take action on the issue of asylum seekers you can write a letter expressing your views. It's important that the government and opposition knows the views of it's constituents and knows that we won't stand for further lies. Contact:

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

Brendan O'Connor

Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

Scott Morrison

Leopards, spots & Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott yesterday spoke publicly about his attitudes on homosexuality, leadership and religion. In a fifteen minute interview on '60 Minutes' he expressed contrition that on previous occasions he had expressed opinions characteristic of bigotry and religious zealotry. Such public humility augurs well for the emotional maturity of the man predicted to be the next Prime Minister of Australia.

Unless it's a stunt.

Abbott's message of change was clearly framed as both a break from his past and an indicator of his potential as a leader. '60 Minutes' interviewer Liz Hayes described him as a "twenty-first century man who can admit the mistakes of his past". These views contrast favorably with his hardline image but as the unofficial campaign for election 2013 heats up the timing might be considered suspicious.

The interview addressed comments Abbott had made in 2010 stating he was "threatened" by homosexuality. The public now knows that Tony Abbott's sister is gay and had come out to him in 2010. He reflected that the comments made in 2010 were a reaction to what he perceived as a threat to the "cohesion" of his family. Having us believe that his deeply offensive comments were motivated more by personal confusion than any deeply held belief; Abbott said "I've changed and I'd like to think I've grown" adding "I've said some things then that I don't believe now", describing these comments as "throwaway lines".

The personal, confronting nature of the interview with both Abbott and his sister Christine jarred with the measured responses given by Abbott. The interplay between head-shots and scenes of a cosy family dinner felt to me like a carefully crafted message, but on what?

Public confession has become something of a cottage industry in the media of late. Lance Armstrong being the most recent in a string of public figures to fall on their proverbial swords, presumably hoping to rehabilitate their public persona. Australian politics has it's own precedent with former Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke establishing a tradition of public confession that included alcoholism, infidelity and family drug problems. Hawke's mea culpa did little to harm him politically and arguably endeared him to the public as an honest, 'real' character.

Does Abbott then seek approval as the 'everyman', just a knockabout bloke? Scenes from the interview showing him in the surf and cooking a barbeque scream yes and the increasingly populist, presidential nature of our federal election campaigns accords with this strategy. Is this enough though to erase memories of past indiscretions?

There is of course the problem of Abbott's staunch derision of public changes of mind. Frequently on record condemning the Labor government for what he saw as lies over the carbon pricing scheme. He would have us believe these revisions, directed at the cohesion of the Labor/Independent/Green government, were unforgivable but that we should see his own revisions in a more favorable light. Such contradictions should sit uneasily with voters wanting to believe in the integrity of the 'new' man.

One question the voting public must ask is whether these softened attitudes are enough for a potential national leader? When Tony Abbott uses his considerable public profile to make comments against a woman's right to choose or the right of gay Australians to marry he lends credence to discrimination on all levels of society. His public change of heart does not undo the wrongs his public statements have contributed to. It is important to consider that Abbott has not signaled a policy shift on issues such as gay marriage in the wake of this interview. A true reflection of his changed perspective should include public advocacy of issues such as marriage equality and a woman's right to choose.

Ultimately it is up to the public to judge Tony Abbott's attempt to make amends. Describing his challenge to become Prime Minister as the "supreme challenge of my life" may acknowledge his sincerity or simply his ambition. I am not convinced and would prefer to hear 'sincerity' at a time when it is not also politically advantageous.