Young people want to be heard about asylum seekers, says a Coburg North student.
Mercy College Year 11 student, Bethany, has created a counter-ad in response to a government campaign stating that those arriving in Australia by boat without a visa would not be settled here, and says she is giving a voice to those who want to speak out.
“Young people have trouble actually doing something about social issues because we often feel helpless and like people won’t listen to us if we try,” she says.
“A lot of young people I know have the same opinion I do – that Australia’s rules and regulations are very harsh and that the government is not doing the right thing by asylum seekers.”
The ad, which originally accompanied the government’s new policy that requires all boat arrivals to be sent to Papua New Guinea for processing, has been reworked by Bethany to include a twist on the national anthem.
Dr Bruce Redman of The Salvation Army, who commended Bethany on her ad, acknowledges the myriad issues faced by people seeking asylum in Australia, and believes that getting young people on board is a step in the right direction.
“You can only be scared of things you know nothing about – people need to be educated,” he says.
“It’s a good thing that young people are prepared to buy into this subject because unfortunately both lots of politics have decided to, out of purely political motivation, demonize people who are seeking asylum in Australia.”
The Salvation Army Asylum Seeker Support Service, located in Brunswick, offers food vouchers, bedding, clothing and assistance for asylum seekers, and Dr Redman believes that creating awareness is crucial in highlighting the humanity of the situation and changing people’s perceptions.
“If you’ve got time come with me and meet one of ‘these’ people, then try and look them in the face and tell them they’re not welcome here. It’s quite confronting to see people in a country like ours really struggling.”
Campaigns like Bethany’s call our national psyche into question by challenging our stance as a progressive and forward-thinking country. Bethany’s school has rallied around her, with the responses confirming this is an issue Australian youths are ready to get behind. She says that not only has it been a personally rewarding experience, but that it is exciting that she has inspired other students to speak out.
“The way this has been received has been great for my self confidence, but also for those around me who have seen what can be achieved and are starting to take a stand,” she says.
“Now, my ad is hung up all over the school and we’ve got things in our newsletter, so it’s starting to become more public.”
This is the first time Bethany has ever taken on anything of this scale – she regularly participates in the World Vision 40 hour famine and other charity fundraisers – but with her passion for human rights and social justice issues, she is inspiring more than just her classmates.
“I feel quite proud that Bethany has taken a stand on asylum seekers and that her apparently small efforts have raised discussion in her school and elsewhere,” says her father Nathan, an ordained pastor of the Lutheran Church of Australia.
“As parents we have always tried to instil critical thought and a concern for the wellbeing of others in our children, so it’s good to see this bearing fruit in practical ways.”
Bethany says she hopes her ad can dispel hostility towards asylum seekers by encouraging people to look deeper in to the situation, and accept that seeking asylum is a basic human right.
“It’s really important that people start speaking up because the asylum seekers don’t always have a voice in Australia,” she says. “But we do.”
