Refugees are NOT ok

Having been vilified and blocked for over a decade, asylum seekers needing permanent visas are NOT ok.

There have been several deaths and many trips to hospital for this cohort within the past month alone. The suicide toll for those in limbo across more than a decade is as high or higher than for the most acutely vulnerable Australian citizens.

There are 24/7 vigils in 5 capitals. The first began nearly 60 days ago. Noone camps outside on cold concrete for fun.

The message of these vigils is clear. Hardworking and deserving taxpayers are forced to wait too long for the permanent visas they deserve. They are tired of paying taxes for, yet still missing out on, access to affordable tertiary study, Medicare, bank loans, continuity, permanent jobs. They are tired of children or any remaining relatives instead of hugging them. They want to know when the fear of deportation will finally lift. They would love to be able to get mortgages and look forward to voting.

Refugees can and do offer Australia a great deal. These people have no other home and are dynamic workers, builders, family and community members. They volunteer and donate blood enthusiastically. In return Australia has demanded front line work during a pandemic. What's next? We start demanding their kidneys?!

Their 24/7 protest camps are well maintained. There is music and good food. Hospitality and fellowship extends beyond ethnicity or language to embrace everyone attending. There is a warmth and politeness that seems exceptional to anyone lucky enough to be Aussie-born.

But these people are desperate for change. Many of them shirk a medical check up at the GP, in the same way that citizens avoid $3000 crowns or root canals.

All it takes is for Labor to recognise that they are governing now and that it is incumbent upon them to act in this political term.

On Tuesday 10 September 2024 in Brisbane, tents and even a memorial to the recently deceased refugee Manu were taken down (by shopping centre security) after 23 days outside Jim Chalmers' office in Logan City. The removal of refugees' carefully maintained protest and property caused deep distress.

People have invested a great deal in the protests. They have taken long breaks from home comforts to sleep on hard ground. They have given up precious family time. They have shared resources to secure enough tents, barbeques, bedding, printing, microphones, speakers, transport and food.

The most elusive resource is hope. The national discourse has been rejecting or downright hostile. (Neo Nazi and right wing bloggers have taunted people at the camp. On 6 September racists were incited to attack the Melbourne encampment, pulling hair and punching heads).

Live video scenes from the Brisbane camp teardown are hard to watch. I have not seen grown men in such emotional pain for a long time. A woman collapsed. Another person went to hospital for heart palpitations attributed to anxiety.