Gunship Humanitarianism

Abstract:     
The period from late August to mid September 2001 was a dramatic escalation in the government's anti-refugee policies. In three short weeks the limited and hesitant progress made since 1999 in the nature of the public debate concerning Australia 's treatment of asylum seekers was swept away by government action that galvanised anti-refugee sentiment, and fundamentally altered Australia's refugee regime .

The hitherto unused practice of naval interdiction of vessels carrying asylum seekers was employed against the MV Tampa, and within a week, became the bipartisan policy of choice towards all asylum seeker boats approaching our shores. The bankrupt island statelets of Nauru and Kiribati, desperate for cash to pay for essential services, have been cajoled in to becoming island prisons for asylum seekers prevented by force from reaching Australian shores.

Accepted Paper Series