Response by Michael Johnson, MP

I was surprised today to receive a response from Federal Member for Ryan and Opposition Whip Michael Johnson MP to my email of 5 November 2009.

The contents of his letter are not surprising. As a member of the Liberal opposition party, Mr Johnson (or whoever wrote the letter) takes a party line stance against the Prime Minister and Labor government. I am, however, encouraged by his comments at the bottom.

I have today written the following response:

24 November 2009





Dear Michael

RE: AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S POLICY ON REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS

Thank you for your letter of 21 November 2009. I was very pleased to receive a reply to my email of 6 November 2009, which raised my concern about the government’s stance on asylum seekers, particularly those who were aboard the Oceanic Viking at the time.

I found your letter educational, if somewhat propagandised. I certainly appreciate the Liberal Party’s view on the government’s approach to immigration and refugee issues, and I plan to take the issue up directly with the government’s representatives. Unfortunately, comments such as ‘As ever, Mr Rudd is all talk, no action’ do not compel me to the Liberal Party line and, if anything, detract from the (as I see it, worthy) arguments you make about of the softening of border protection laws encouraging people smuggling.

Of most interest to me, however, was your personal note that you believe that Australia should increase our formal refugee program from 13,000 to 50,000. This is precisely the kind of progress that is required for international human rights to prevail. I take this opportunity to challenge you to raise this as an issue with your colleagues, and build it into the political platform upon which you stand.

What needs to be addressed is the ideology of that (I hope) minority of people chanting words to the effect of ‘Go home – we’re full!’. I wonder how these people would feel if their family of 14, including elderly grandparents, aunts, uncles and children, were crammed into a one room apartment where they lived in fear of reprisals from insurgent leaders. Australia is, geographically, a huge country. Whilst most of the interior is uninhabitable, and the urban centres are begin to suffer from overpopulation, there are certainly ‘boundless plains to share’, as our national anthem espouses.

Mr Johnson, this is not an issue that only refugees and families of refugees care about. Every day Australians such as myself continually ask why our government refuses to share the privileges of ‘the lucky country’ with those less fortunate than ourselves. In your letter, you state ‘Labor’s policies are not tough or hardline. They are not fair or humane ... The Prime Minister must take responsibility for his failed policies and move immediately to end this debacle’.

You are correct. The government must immediately and radically alter the legislation in respect of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants to reflect the just and humane attitude of every day Australians. Those who seek entry to our shores by means other than the correct processes must be afforded every protection of the law, including conventions on human rights.

However, as an elected Member in Opposition, it is your obligation, your responsibility to challenge the government on these issues in order to catalyse the change that is necessary to grant freedom and opportunity to humanity.

Thank you again for taking the time to listen to my concerns.

Yours faithfully,