MYTH:
There is a flood of refugees
heading to Australia.
FACT:
The real burden of assisting refugees is borne in the main by the world's poorest
nations.
 |
Refugee
Crisis 
|
Issue:
Refugees
or Criminals?
I |
Please
explain?
click
Refugees
have the right to seek Protection in Australia. Australia was one of the first
countries to sign the Refugee Convention in 1951. The Refugee Convention is
the international law that sets out the rights of refugees across the world.
The Convention and the Universal declaration of human rights make it very clear
that people have the right to seek asylum if they have "a well founded
fear of persecution". All governments, such as Australia, who have signed
the convention, have a responsibility to make sure that the asylum seekers are
treated with dignity and respect when they arrive.
Links
to related web sites
click
MYTH:
Refugees are queue jumpers?
FACT:
There is no standard refugee process where people wait
in line to have their application considered.
MYTH:
Asylum seekers are 'illegal'
FACT:
Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that
"Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum
from persecution."
MYTH:
Australia takes a lot of refugees
FACT:
Australia receives relatively few refugees
by world standards. E.G. 300 000 refugees arrived in Europe to seek asylum last
year. In contrast, 4174 reached Australia by boat or plane.
