For over two decades, activists, academics, media pundits and politicians have ensured Australia’s asylum seeker policy has remained the most controversial and contested political issue in our nation.

Despite the sacrificial and inspirational efforts of thousands of people standing up for the rights of the world’s most vulnerable people, asylum seekers arriving in Australia now face some of the harshest and most punitive policies in the world.

Even though there is wide agreement that compassion, hospitality and fairness are positive attributes for both people and communities to be recognised by, our response to asylum seekers remains one of the most divisive issues for our society. What the United Nations calls “a small humanitarian problem” continues to be, for us, a disproportionately massive political problem.

So, where will change come from? What will it take to create a fair and compassionate policy that gives protection to asylum seekers, is acceptable to voters and proves resilient to the political temptation to use fear of “the other” as a tool of electoral success?

This event is co-presented by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre and the Global Experience program at the University of South Australia.

FREE registration, Australia’s asylum seeker policy: where will change come from and what could it look like?
23 October, 6pm
Bradley Forum, University of South Australia