Australia being mercilessly slapped down for its cruel, punitive asylum seeker regime has become something of a gentre unto itself in international commentary. Seems like we can’t go a week without organisations like The New York Times editorialising against our offshore detention regime.
They’re right to be concerned, of course – with European right-wing and far-right leaders holding our policy up as a model for Europe and the world in dealing with the refugee crisis, there’s a clear impetus to tell us to fix our shit.
Canadian journalist and social activist Naomi Klein – best known for her invective against corporate globalisation and climate change – took to Q&A last night to box us over the ears for our detention regime.
What is the difference between our Pacific Solution & Trump’s Wall? @SenPaterson @AlboMP @NaomiAKlein respond #QandA https://t.co/0YapwdT1sy
— ABC Q&A (@QandA) November 7, 2016
Taking implicit aim at the Australians who rip on Trump, she made clear that our policy is as bad as what he’s proposing. Whereas Trump wants to build a wall, we’ve already effectively done it – on a bipartisan basis, with no effective strong opposition from within the party system. He described conditions on Nauru and Manus Island as an “international atrocity”.
Klein said:
I find it shocking that people on Nauru and Manus are lighting themselves on fire, sewing their mouths shut, so they can be heard.They’re so desperate to have their freedom of speech heard that they’re self-immolating. I want to know where the outrage is in this country about their freedom of speech and the freedom of whistleblowers – the doctors, the teachers – who are speaking out against this atrocity. This international atrocity.
“I think that Donald Trump talking about building the wall with Mexico is insane and racist, but I also think what Australia is doing on Nauru and Manus is as well,” she continued. “I think we shouldn’t be so self-satisfied about it. You’re actually doing it, he’s just talking about it.”
Ahh. Gosh we’re good.
Source: Q&A.
Photo: Q&A.
