His remarks are both incoherent and factually incorrect. This appalling rhetoric is calculated to spread fear of one particular group of people for political gain. It is politics at its worst, undermining social cohesion, pitting some Australians against others and creating an environment of fear.
As Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Mr Dutton ought to know something of the immense contribution that refugees have made to Australia. He should know that many speak not just one language but many, and that this is good for the country.
I wonder what kind of society Mr Dutton thinks he is building. I wonder what kind of society successive federal governments have had in mind when implementing these policies. What happens to a largely generous and hospitable country when we allow the deliberate harm and abuse of people who come seeking nothing more than our protection? What happens when governments wrap deliberately cruel and inhumane policies in a culture of secrecy and a rhetoric of fear?
I know what kind of society I want and it’s not this. I want a just and flourishing society, where people who come seeking care and protection are welcomed and supported so that they too might flourish, sharing in the abundant goodness of life that is a gift from God and not ours to withhold.
Christians are called to love our neighbour, welcome the stranger, challenge unjust systems, and offer refuge and care to those who are marginalised and in exile. Churches have all too often failed to meet this call but in this case most have stepped up. This is why the churches have been a thorn in the side of both political parties on this issue.
Commenting on the imminent return of people to Nauru in February, the Uniting Church in Australia President Stuart McMillan said, “to send people, especially children and Australian-born babies, back to the place that has caused them such harm would be an outrage against human dignity”. Early in May he wrote to the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, urging him to “demonstrate leadership and correct this injustice by closing the offshore detention centre on Nauru and bringing those people who are currently in the centres on Manus Island and Nauru to Australia”.
There are alternatives to the brutal and illegal policies now in place. Countries in the region, led by a generous Australia, working together with goodwill and focussing on protecting people in need, could develop a genuine regional solution which would ensure that asylum seekers and refugees are safe where they are, have hope for a secure future for themselves and their families, and if they need it, access appropriate resettlement within the region.
In the lead-up to the federal election, now is the time to demand better leadership from our politicians – more honesty, more integrity, more vision, more hope for what is good and just. It is the time to tell them that we want a lively society where refugees are welcomed, our diversity is cherished, and all people have what they need for their own lives to flourish.
