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Media release
Date: 3 November 2003

Time for Government to stop “tampering with asylum”

With the Howard Government's revelation that 90% of the unauthorised boat arrivals in recent years have been proved to be refugees, it is timely to reassess the harsh measures instituted to process these people who were labelled as unlawful queue jumpers. Father Frank Brennan, Jesuit lawyer and human rights advocate does so in his new book, Tampering with Asylum: A Universal Humanitarian Problem. The book compares Australia’s dramatic over-reaction in closing its national borders to the Tampa’s human cargo with the response of the United States and Europe, and offers a practical blueprint for countries wanting to humanely protect asylum seekers.

Father Brennan said, “It is no surprise that Willie Virgile Brigitte, the Al Qaeda operative, came by plane with a tourist visa. He was never eligible for upstream disruption or mandatory detention. No terrorist has come by boat with wife and children and without a visa. Now is the time to scrutinise government's rationale for treating boat people in such a discriminatory way, in the name of national security.”

Tampering with Asylum is a primer for more informed public discussion about the morality of Australia's asylum policy. It moves beyond the point scoring of political parties.
“In the past Prime Minister Howard has boasted that Australia was a warm-hearted, decent international citizen. By comparing Australia's policy with the US, UK and Europe, the reader can appreciate the shortcomings in Australia's approach. Now that the boats have stopped coming it is time to put the 2001 election campaign tactics behind us and work towards more rational, cost-effective and fair ways of treating those groups who are most likely to be refugees, while maintaining the integrity of our borders,” Frank Brennan said.

This book shows that both these objectives can be achieved by politicians of good will.
Frank Brennan regularly visits detention centres in Woomera, Port Hedland and Baxter. After visiting Baxter last week, he said that the situation was getting “more desperate”. Father Brennan has just returned from a study tour which took him to meetings with UN and international NGO refugee officials in Europe and North America. In Geneva, he attended the Executive Meeting of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Tampering with Asylum will be launched at the Canberra Press Club on Wednesday 5 November. It will also be launched in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney on the following dates:

Canberra
Wed 5, Canberra, 12 – 2.00 pm
National Press Club, 16 National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600
Registration essential
National Press Club: (02) 6273 3644, or visit http://www.npc.org.au

Perth
Thurs 13, 6:30 pm
Notre Dame University
Launched by Carmen Lawrence MP

Melbourne
Wed 19, 6.30 pm
Reader’s Feast, Cnr Bourke & Swanston Sts
Launched by Robert Manne BPhil

Adelaide
Thurs 20, 6.00 pm
Imprints Booksellers, 107 Hindley St
Launched by Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE

Brisbane
Tues 25 November, 7.00 for 7.30.
The Ithaca Room, City Hall,
King George Square, Adelaide Street
Launched by Jim Soorley MA and Sallyanne Atkinson AO

Sydney
Wed 26, 6 for 6.30 pm
Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Rd, Glebe 2037
Launched by Tom Keneally AO

Book order:

Tampering With Asylum is available in all good book stores or order from Uniya on
ph: (02) 9356 3888, fax: (02) 9356 3021. Or download the order form: Tampering with Asylum order form

Media contact:

Frank Brennan SJ AO is available for comments or interviews.

Please contact Uniya Director, Patty Fawkner SGS, on (02) 9356 3888.

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