Seeking Asylum Down Under

About Me

Name: Mark Thomson

Location: Canberra, Australia

In 2004 I ended my career of around 20 years with the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). I had been proud to represent Australia in the arenas of international development. We had a good record of support for human rights. Sadly, our response to Tampa, the children overboard fiasco, the Pacific Solution, and the treatment of refugee detainees were indicators to me of a disturbing shift. I saw a government willing to manipulate Australians into believing that people seeking sanctuary on our shores, many of whom have endured terrible hardships, are a threat!! People were worried (and many were angry) about what was being done in our name. After Tampa I was 'ringside' as the Pacific Solution was unpackaged...my role in this cruel fiasco stirred me to examine Australia's performance in the arena of human rights. Please click on 'Archives' to read earlier posts. Mozilla Firefox is the best browser to view this blog...

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