Asylum seekers arrive in Nauru in 2001, the beginning of the Australian Government's ''Pacific Solution'' policy of offshore processing and detention of refugees. Australia is simply passing the buck - its ''border protection'' policy remains and people seeking asylum may still get sent to the detention centres. Adding insult to injury, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is proposing a ban on refugees who arrive by boat from ever entering Australia. Companies and organisations providing services at the Australian detention centres have either pulled out or declared they will not be renewing their contracts. Until this deeply immoral experiment ends, building hope for the people forced into the Australian Government's deplorable detention centres is exactly what we must do.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 15, 2016 17:23 UTC