Pontville: Politics and people

The first asylum seekers could arrive at Pontville anytime now. It is estimated that the first 140 or so asylum seekers will arrive in Pontville soon, with the other 400 arriving around a month later. These unaccompanied men will come armed with stories that will make hearts melt, if mouths are allowed to speak and ears allowed to hear. Whatever your views on asylum seekers coming to Pontville, whatever your views on detention, these men from less fortunate parts of our shrinking world are coming.

Brighton Mayor, Tony Foster, has provided strong community leadership in the area. He sees this as an opportunity for Pontville to be a model of how a detention centre can function, an example of a more humane, less prison-like detention centre that is not needlessly completely isolated from the surrounding community. He has deliberately not engaged in political debate on immigration policy, mandatory detention, “the boats” and all the rest of it. In his view this is happening, so let’s make it as positive an experience as possible for those inside and outside the fences. Hopefully DIAC and Serco will support this attitude.

Tasmanian Asylum Seeker Support (TASS) has also been established, creating a support network of capable people to try to support the asylum seekers who will soon be arriving. TASS is an apolitical organisation, purely focused on supporting the individuals and providing a little humanity to people who have often been in very dehumanising circumstances for years. TASS believes that:

“Asylum Seekers have broken no law by choosing to flee their homeland for a safe country. They deserve our welcome and support.

Tasmanians have the capacity to be open-minded, warm, and thoughtful in their response to asylum seekers. Our community will benefit from positive relationships with asylum seekers.”

It is possible to support overseas “processing” of asylum seekers, yet still show compassion for the individuals caught up in a system you disagree with. This should be equally possible for those who believe that mandatory detention is wrong and that asylum seekers should live in the community while their claims are processed. It should be possible to welcome these men as fellow human beings arriving on our island, regardless of whether one votes Liberal, Labor, Green or independent. In my opinion, it is not only possible, but essential. Our politics should not dehumanise us nor make us mean-spirited. There are avenues for pursuing our political beliefs and these should be followed for political pursuits, just as there are other avenues for pursuing our human values, and the two need not conflict.