The Bridging Visa

#Stoic#

Fact: It is not illegal to seek asylum in Australia, even if arriving by boat. (1958 immigration act, Australia).

Fact: In Australia there are 1.1 refugees for every 1000 people. (PPT 1)

Fact: An asylum seeker is someone asking for asylum in another country, but whose claim of refugee status has not yet been assessed.

Fact: A refugee is someone who can prove that they have escaped from a deemed…… "severe" enough threat on their welfare or their life.

Fact: The number of refugees arriving by boat that have been terrorists…………(#Hand#)……………………0 (PPT 2)

Fact: The asylum seekers arriving by boat make up only 2% of Australia's Annual immigration.

The natural laws by which ALL ……. modern society is based ….. carry a message (#break#) summarised in these words..

"Love thy neighbour as thyself" . …………This phrase …… or variations of it can be found in most of the ancient scriptures.

The Christian Bible, The Hindu Bag-vad Gita, The Muslim Quran and the Jewish Torah.

There are other variations too. ………

"Put yourself in their shoes"

"Treat other people as you would like to be treated"

This passage need not be interpreted literally (although it is nice to love your neighbours).

It symbolises the need to love our fellow human beings, and to treat them as you would want to be treated if you were in their situation.

The Bridging Visa is a temporary visa allowing an Asylum Seeker to live on Australian soil while their request for refugee status is being processed.

The idea of a Bridging Visa was proposed (with good intention) by Human Rights Commissioner for Australia …. Catherine Branson.

The realisation of the (#sad#) appalling conditions of the detention camps which asylum seekers are forced to call home. (PPT 3)...