CATHOLIC refugee advocates have demanded one of Australia’s major political parties withdraw a “prime-time television ad campaign attack on asylum seekers”.
Against the background of a small asylum-seeker boat in open ocean, the Federal Liberal Party advertisements have been showing a map upon which five large red arrows progressively stream towards Australia from the north-west – with the arrows bearing the names: “Indonesia”, “Sri Lanka”, “Afghanistan”, “Iran” and “Iraq”.
The advertisement has also appeared on the Federal Liberal Party website linked to policy statements by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
Edmund Rice Centre director Phil Glendenning said the advertisements, broadcast on Mother’s Day evening in Western Australia and Queensland, “could only be regarded as another low in Australian politics with the race card once again being played to cause fear and division in the electorate”.
Mr Glendenning has written to Mr Abbott and the Liberal Party’s federal director Brian Loughnane demanding the removal of all such advertisements.
Brisbane archdiocese’s Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care director Clyde Cosentino called the advertisements “mischievous, devious, cynical and insulting to the intelligence of people of the states in which they appeared”.
The archdiocese’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) executive officer Peter Arndt criticised the advertisements and urged all Catholics “to treat asylum seekers as though they were Christ”.
The Federal Government also came in for criticism with observations Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s recent plummet in popularity was probably due in part to his Government’s reversal on its earlier commitments to asylum seekers.
Mr Glendenning said “the playing of the race card” in the advertisements overlooked “that Australians are no longer scared by the xenophobic policies and tactics of the 1960s”.
“The timing of these ads invading families’ Sunday night Mother’s Day viewing represents another low attempt to push an outdated fear of foreigners.
“The fact is only a tiny proportion of asylum seekers reach Australia.”
Mr Glendenning said “reports by international bodies such as the International Crisis Group on atrocities in Sri Lanka show these people have good reason to flee their countries”.
Mr Cosentino said the Australian public had the right to be outraged and insulted that politicians in an election year would assume voters could be so easily swayed to racism.
“The advertisement is crass – purely and solely political in its aim to generate fear amongst the Australian public,” he said. “These images do nothing to solve the problem of people risking their lives in leaking boats.”
Mr Cosentino said it seemed the Federal Government was also paying a price for failing to show leadership in the issue.
“Kevin Rudd has plummeted in the polls,” he said. “He has walked away from commitment to issues like climate change and a fair go for asylum seekers.
“Such attitudes seem to be having an impact on voters.”
Mr Arndt, who last Tuesday presented the Church’s position in relation to treatment of refugees at Cleveland parish, said Catholics must speak out for compassionate treatment of asylum seekers.
“Jesus told us to welcome strangers, not to vilify them and turn them away,” he said.
“They are our brothers and sisters, created in the image and likeness of God, and must be afforded the same dignity as those closest to us.”
On Tuesday, Mr Glendenning said he was still awaiting a response from the Liberal Party on the matter.
Mr Loughnane was unavailable for comment at the time of The Catholic Leader going to press.
