I received a letter from Getup, the great Australian political mover and shaking group claiming that its action has made that well known church goer Peter Dutton, head of the so called Australian Homeland Security organisation, backs down over deporting a Filipina back to the Philipines. I selected the following from the letter to share with you and illustrate the point:
"Bernadette has lived in Australia with her children for 11 years, working in aged care and contributing to her church community.
Her son Giro was born in Australia and turns nine this year. He loves playing soccer, silly dancing and cooking pepperoni pizza.
Even though Giro is an Australian citizen, Bernadette had her permanent residency application denied on narrow technical criteria that disregarded her son and was given notice that she would be deported back to the Philippines in just three weeks. "
On a point of accuracy Giro is a dual citizen of Australia and the Philipines. Bernadette is claimed to have "contributed to her church community"... put a fiver in the offeratory each week? Australia is supposedly a secular country - what has and is 'contribution'?
And Giro, named after the UK welfare post office banking service and known to millions for the welfare cheque? Does "silly dancing" and making a "pizza" prove Australianness?
Some years ago there was a woman who was greatly contributing to the community. She was a doctor in a community where doctors do not wish to live. Her permanent residency was being denied because she has a disabled son.
I would be fascinated to learn how Bernadette first got into the country ie. what was her temporary visa given for?
The migration issue really does still have some glaring discrepancies. Political hard liners like Dutton and Hanson together with spoiler organisations like Getup will however exploit the vulnerable individual to benefit their political aims.
What are your thoughts?
australia supposedly is a secular country - but looking closer, on local community level, especially in the rural areas, the church does have more influence than any chosen club should wield. i disconnected from getup due to ethical discrepancies.
Keep your friends close, your enemies closer. I'm pleased to learn that I'm not alone in noticing chinks in Getup's behaviours.
@FrayedBear, i never quite understood that saying; keeping my enemies close will, by poisoning my already delicate energy field, eventually erode my equilibrium. so, enemies, shoo!
@walklightly The theeory being their attack on you comes as less of a surprise and hopefully you are not simply stabbed in the dark in the back.
I don't work for that department, but I do know from friends that their social media comments are monitored. Dutton has a thin skin, so you won't get any commentary from anyone who works there.
So I believe.
If Dutton got his way he would be Führer. I would support Getup! over Dutton any day.
Yes, he's the loathsome kind of conservative with a born to rule mindset I despise most in right-wingers.
Over the years I have found Getup to be little better in terms of their hypocrisy.
@FrayedBear If hypocrisy were the only criterion, well, maybe. But when it comes to sheer vindictive bloody-mindedness, Dutton leaves them for dead.
Being a pom, but with Australian citizenship I don't know if it is my place to comment but it seems quite 'un-Australian' to me
Yeah, but the phrase un- Australian used to mean a lot more than it does now, sadly. As I'm getting old I remember.
@David1955 it's interesting you say that because I am sure that there has been a diminishing in values in the short time I have been here. It was such a different culture to the 'Rush and grab' mentality in England. Not that it is as manic here for one minute, just seems heading in that direction.
@Geoffrey51 Indeed. There's enough of a Marxist in me to know that culture and values reflect the dominant ideology of any period. The dominant ideology in the Anglo Saxon western world of the past decades in that of economic rationalism and aggregious individualism. Australia as much as anywhere.
That I do not understand. If you are a citizen why do you believe that you have no right to comment? Current proposed legislation seemingly will restrict everyone from expressing their opinion but so far it has not been made "law".
@FrayedBear Mainly because I only being here for about ten years, its all very well for me to criticise UK because I have lived it, but being a guest who has decided to stay, it feels a bit impolite!
@Geoffrey51 Presumably however you have taken citizenship in order to protect that right to stay here the rest of your life? Surely if that is the case you have an equal to anyone right to say how you wish for the country to progress into the future?
@FrayedBear That is a very valid point. Its not long being on permanent resident's visa is it. Thanks
@FrayedBear feel free to let reign on what you think about Australia I am ashamed at times to call myself Australians eg treatment of indigenous, asylum seekers, climate change, ineffective politicians. But I don't know what you're all going on about Get UP for. I live in the Dutton electorate and GetUp has organised a campaign to unseat him.
@MsDemeanour It will be interesting to see how successful they are. They failed with the red neck former deputy PM.
@MsDemeanour I don't actually know what Get Up is. I hadn't heard of it until this post?
Mate, I can talk for hours about how fucked up Brexit is, so you have open range as far as I am concerned to talk about the Australian politic.
@Palindromeman Thanks, I'll take you up on it
@Palindromeman , @Geoffrey51 "Gentlemen, a clean fight, Round 1, ding dong!
@Geoffrey51 Google them and then sign up. They will inundate with appeals for your signature and donations.
@FrayedBear Gawd, sounds like the Jehovahs Witnesses!
@Geoffrey51 You will be exposed to the underbelly of Australian politics.
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