The debate over immigration to Australia has grown increasingly acrimonious over the past two decades. Ever since the Tampa Incident, which I viewed from Japan with disgust, the broader focus has shifted to so-called boat people. These are the poor folk who venture forth in run-down and often dangerous boats with the intention of seeking a better life in Australia. They represent a very small proportion of people who seek asylum in Australia, yet they exercise mountains of newsprint and worse, are grist to every conservative politicians mill.

A recent article from The Guardian (8/10/19) highlighted this fact. Over the past five years, 95,000 people who came by plane requested asylum. Last year, over 24,000 sought refuge, though something like 84% were refused. Many are probably deemed to be economic refugees, which is just another way of saying people who want to work and get ahead and see Australia as a good place to do it. Many may be exploited while they wait assessment and legal challenges to rulings.

All countries want to have control of their borders but the manner in which this has been politicised and subsequently mishandled is appalling. Too many feeble-minded politicians and others with no moral fibre to speak of, together with their lackeys in the media, will beat any drum that furthers their ambitions. I am guessing that refugees with air-tickets will be the next big scare, with a conga-line of indignant toads lining up to say something tough, or just plain nasty.

The Enlightenment Project seems to have sputtered to a halt. It took a beating in the 20th Century with the advent of fascism, communism and the atom bomb. Post-Modernism dissected and dismissed it. Trumps ascendancy mocks it. Populists everywhere are reading the last rites. Yet still I hope.

Not fit to purpose.