Janice Bell
18 September 2007, 11:22AM

I am ashamed to admit to being an Australian, when I think of our treatment of so called illegal immigrants, whether they be genuine refugees or not.

fritsj
17 September 2007, 06:01PM

I am not surprised at the inaction in regards to human rights of the general public. We are too far removed from the real pain people feel when there rights are taken away or abused. Come on Australia do something about it and speak out. What if it were you and your family.

Frederick Prins
17 September 2007, 03:43PM

Well what else is new from a Government that will go down in history as the most divisive, deceitful and deceptive with the majority of us supporting them to the hilt for 11 years so that our hip pockets were better off and we didn’t have to share “our” hard earned resources with these “illegals”. We all stand condemned not just this brutal Government but also the “me-tooism” of the ALP. Wake up Australia!

Mary
17 September 2007, 11:45AM

As the above comments show, so many of us feel ashamed of this Government’s refugee policy but are fearful that a Labor Government won’t be much better.  The Howard Government has exploited the baser instincts of the Australian voter and the Labor party is prepared to pander to those instincts as well.  As we send the Liberal Party to oblivion we should all write “Close Nauru” or similar sentiments on our ballot papers so that Labor knows it has to introduce more humane immigration legislation if it is to get our vote at the following election.

Susan Page
16 September 2007, 03:08PM

Democracy? freedom? well yes, if you are a member of the elite. A ‘fair go’, a distant memory. What a sad place Australia is.

Peter Wallis
16 September 2007, 11:41AM

Thinking back to the “children overboard” election… the Coalition ran a campaign on being tough on refugees, then the Labour party stood up and said… that they were going to be TOUGHER on refugees.  So we had no choice.  I guess this is what the major political parties think the average Australian voter wants. 
We need to show them all something different.

Amanda Hood
15 September 2007, 02:51PM

What a bunch of hardened cynical politicians the Howard government is - They are prepared to inflict dispassionately such terrible suffering on their fellow human beings, all in the desperate hope of wringing an election-winning few votes. Oh if only they could walk a day in the shoes of those fleeing persecution…

Bev Walshe
14 September 2007, 06:11PM

The Howard government is a disgrace, and I am ashamed to say I live in a country that lets people suffer as much as those who have been dumped on Nauru. The next election can’t come soon enough for me. Let’s hope the new government has more intelligence and compassion.

Maureen Keating
14 September 2007, 10:36AM

I am ashamed to be associated with a government which has decided on a solution to the plight of refugees, who are NOT “illegals”, to incarcerate them at Nauru.  Be sure that the Coalition will certainly not get my vote at the next election, and I shall do my best to persuade others of my convictions. Maureen Keating

Milinda Krogh
14 September 2007, 10:23AM

When are we all going to stop saying “Them v Us”. We are all to blame for the inhuman way refugees are treated. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity regardless of their ability, culture, race, gender and religion etc.

Asem Omer
14 September 2007, 12:25AM

for how long we goona pretend we are blind ,for unfair ,inhuman ,indignity ,and we still keeping saying the world no free !

DANIELLE BABB
13 September 2007, 04:38PM

Write or email to the Prime Minister, Kevin Andrews , your member of parliament. Vote them out of office as they are despicable and directly responsible this mess. Register your comments with the ALP, Greens and Democrats .Let all parties know how you feel.

Denise
13 September 2007, 03:32PM

I feel ashamed of Australia for our treatment of refugees

Richard Lawton
13 September 2007, 03:04PM

I am shocked that Australia is currently refusing to let these people into the country, just as I am concerned that it has taken so long to even grant them refugee status.

Why should we fob them off to somewhere else when they are already ‘here’ and we have the means to take them?

Viv Shakespeare
13 September 2007, 01:21PM

The total and utter shame is all of us who live here and do nothing. But ultimately it is Governments who have power, John Howard and Kevin Andrews in the instance.befoe that Philip Ruddoch. The best thing we can do is take that power off them permanently at the ballot box and tell them why.And tell the Labor Party what we expect of them in this area.And don’t be fobbed off. Write or email your local member and anyone else you can think of. And tell all the people you meet. Spread the word.

Kath
13 September 2007, 01:01PM

We can not turn our backs to this atrocity - it is our shame to bear.  The alternative is to be a nation that when ask if we knew about the suffering can only say yes, and we did nothing.

pierre stokx
13 September 2007, 12:25PM

I am shocked by the abuse of basic human rights in Nauru.
Has our government a conscience ?

Sean
13 September 2007, 12:23PM

the locking up of any asylum seekers whether on the mainland or on Nauru is a national disgrace and one that needs to be put back on the agenda of national debate. The news today that we won’t take the sri lankans who have been granted refugee status is further evidence of the heartless nature of the people governing in our name.

sieiar
13 September 2007, 11:30AM

This is the shame of Australia.

Kerre Willsher
13 September 2007, 11:22AM

Put our government in here and throw away the key.