Right: cartoonist Bruce Petty took a light-hearted but incisive swipe at the idea of "turning back the boats" in this cartoon. To look at more Petty cartoons, use this link Found a word you're not familiar with? Double-click that word to bring up a dictionary reference to it. The dictionary page includes an audio sound file with which to actually hear the word said. |
Further implications
The Age Nielsen poll of August 26, 2012, asked two questions on government policy regarding asylum seekers.
First, respondents were asked 'Do you support or oppose the decision to resume offshore processing of asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea and Nauru'. 67% indicated support; 27% opposition.
In response to the second question, which asked for views on 'the decision to increase the number of refugees Australia accepts from 13,750 to 20,000 per year' there was no clear position. 48% were in support; 49% in opposition.
These poll results are significant as they indicate two things. The community is very divided on increasing the number of refugees this country accepts; while two-thirds favour processing asylum seekers offshore.
The extent of support for offshore processing suggests that Australians wish to discourage asylum seekers who try to come to Australia uninvited. Part of this may be a desire to reduce the risk that boat people face. However, concerns about security and border protection appear more likely.
Former Prime Minister John Howard's assertion, "We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come," seems to epitomise this desire for control. Behind this would appear to be fear of an excessive influx of unapproved arrivals that might threaten job security and cultural identity; an influx that could threaten existing citizens' access to services and the sustainability of our environment and economy.
The fear of an uncontrolled influx of asylum seekers seems exaggerated. Australia receives a relatively small proportion of asylum seeker claims worldwide. According to the UNHCR, in 2011 Australia received 11,500 claims, just 2.6% of the 441,300 asylum applications received by industrialised countries in that year. By comparison, in 2011, the United States received 74,000 claims; France 51,900; Germany 45,700. In 2011, South Africa was the world's largest recipient of individual applications, receiving 107,000 or 10% of the global total.
There appears to be some confusion in the popular mind between migration and refugee placement. In 2011, 27% of Australia's population was born overseas. Of this group 30% were born in either the United Kingdom or New Zealand. The next largest groups came from China and India, each contributing six per cent.
However, as a percentage of our migration program, refugees make a relatively minor contribution. Refugees made up 7.6% of the total immigration program under John Howard, compared with 6.6% under Julia Gillard-this is the lowest percentage since 1975.
Anxiety about asylum seekers seems to be in large measure a perception problem. There is clearly need for a wide-ranging and informed debate on the issue, so that the Australian public can make rational decisions about how they would have asylum seekers coming to this country treated. Unfortunately the issue has become so emotive that such a debate is very difficult to achieve.