MAMBO 'REDNECKS'

   This was a 'Mambo T-Shirts' fundraiser in the hope of combatting the ill considered political stances of Pauline Hanson MP from Queensland [noted as a fish n chip shop operator for one reason or another] following her 'maiden speech' in Parliament. Then came her notoriety, the 'One Nation' political party and the colourful characters such populist movements attract... opportunists, people with strong views that don't feel they've been heard and people with ambition that's been unrewarded elsewhere AND the vocal minority who believe the stuff Hanson stands for

   To put things in context this is also a critical period for Australia's current debacle around asylum seekers. Pauline Hanson's speech was a divisive commentary on indigenous 'advantage' and the handouts culture that means there's preferential treatment for indigenous people. It was a complete misreading of the situation in Australia, filled with common misrepresentations and appealing to a base of people who believe foreigners 'take our jobs,' are part of a welfare culture, threaten Australians way of life and need to "love it or leave it" or put a "f%$# off we're full" sticker on the back of the ute. These are people who celebrate that our soldiers fought and died for our flag by slapping it on boxer shorts, thongs, towelling hats and stubby holders... oh, wait am I unfairly stereotyping?
   Anyhow it's this voter block and movement who mobilised the right of the Liberal Party to find an enemy in 'boat people' and 'illegals' and whose perceived influence has driven both our major political parties to dehumanise people, create severe mental health distress and to once again incarcerate children in the name of 'stopping the boats.' Others assert that when KRudd softened the policies, the 'business model' of the people smugglers was back up and running. Again in the name of common sense or the hope that nobody gets in a boat or because we are unable to offer an alternative solution that's been shown to work... people support human rights abuse as a deterrent. That's crazy... the hope is that cruel processes are the ultimate deterrent... not in my name folks!!

- Spend the diplomatic energy on resolving the conflicts that cause people to flee in the first place
[low chance of ultimate success, but the right kind of energy to spend as a nation]
- Properly fund processing through the UNHCR and genuinely hold Indonesia and Malaysia accountable
- Strike sharing agreements with other than poor small island nations
- Recognise that 98% of those who are in detention are eventually found to be genuine refugees
- Be aware of the 10 Myths relating to these issues here
- As churches offer to billet children so they are not in detention [oh wait, someone's made that offer]

And
While we're at it maybe we could address the aspects of the Northern Territory 'Intervention' that go beyond helping and begin to rob indigenous people of the identity and empowerment to make a different future