In 1974 the Parliament passed the Trade Practices Act which, by section 52, decreed that a corporation should not “engage in conduct which is misleading or deceptive…”. But parliamentarians are not subject to similar restrictions. We accept without questioning that norms of conduct which parliamentarians sets for commerce do not apply to them.
Most people expect politicians to lie. But few politicians have shown the capacity for dishonesty and hypocrisy which Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton have displayed in connection with people seeking asylum.
Abbott, Morrison, Turnbull and Dutton claim to be Christians, along with most other members of the Australian Parliament. For fear of being misunderstood, I should declare that I was brought up in the Christian tradition, but I no longer adhere to any religion. But I do remember some of the fundamental tenets of Christian teaching: compassion for those in need; treat others as you would want to be treated…
These men lie to us, and they are hypocrites. They lie when they call boat people “illegal”, when it is not an offence to arrive in Australia, without a visa, seeking to be protected from persecution. And by their wilful mistreatment of people seeking asylum they betray the Christian values they pretend to hold.
Christ told the parable of the Good Samaritan. A Jewish traveller on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, has been stripped and beaten and left, helpless, beside the road. A priest and a Levite both pass him by and avoid engaging with him. A Samaritan sees him and helps him, even though Jews and Samaritans were traditional enemies.
Tony Abbott, who claims to be a devout Roman Catholic, once suggested that the parable of the Good Samaritan might have been different if a number of travellers had been found beside the road. It takes someone like Abbott to claim that he can reconstruct Christs’s teaching.
Abbott had earlier exposed his bankrupt version of Christianity when he gave the second Margaret Thatcher Lecture, in London on 27 October 2015. Among other things he said:
“Implicitly or explicitly, the imperative to “love your neighbour as you love yourself” is at the heart of every Western polity. It expresses itself in laws protecting workers, in strong social security safety nets, and in the readiness to take in refugees. It’s what makes us decent and humane countries as well as prosperous ones, but – right now – this wholesome instinct is leading much of Europe into catastrophic error.”
So, a wholesome instinct is sidelined because of its consequences.
In the same speech, Abbott said this:
“…no country or continent can open its borders to all comers without fundamentally weakening itself. This is the risk that the countries of Europe now run through misguided altruism.
On a somewhat smaller scale, Australia has faced the same predicament and overcome it. The first wave of so-called “illegal” arrivals to Australia peaked at 4000 people a year, back in 2001, before the Howard government first stopped the boats: by processing illegal arrivals offshore; by denying them permanent residency; and in a handful of cases, by turning illegal immigrant boats back to Indonesia.
The second wave of “illegal” boat people was running at the rate of 50,000 a year – and rising fast – by July 2013, when the Rudd government belatedly reversed its opposition to offshore processing; and then my government started turning boats around, even using orange lifeboats when people smugglers deliberately scuttled their vessels.”
(Incidentally, in addition to his lie about “illegal boat people”, his figures were false. The Australia Parliament House library shows that the largest number of boat people to come to Australia in a single year was just short of 25,000).
Malcolm Turnbull converted to Roman Catholicism . He has not tried to reinterpret Christ’s teaching, but he has embraced Abbott’s practical lessons in morality by embracing his policy of mistreating refugees.
By contrast, Pope Francis has taken a principled stand on the need for compassion for the plight of asylum seekers said:
“Biblical revelation urges us to welcome the stranger; it tells us that in so doing, we open our doors to God, and that in the faces of others we see the face of Christ himself.”
He was referring to a passage in the Bible (Matthew 25), where Christ says:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Sadly, neither Abbott nor Turnbull appear to have listened to the Pope or understood the Bible.
Scott Morrison’s maiden speech in Parliament placed great emphasis on his Christian values. Among other things he said:
“So what values do I derive from my faith? My answer comes from Jeremiah, chapter 9:24:
… I am the Lord who exercises loving-kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the Lord.
From my faith I derive the values of loving-kindness, justice and righteousness, to act with compassion and kindness, acknowledging our common humanity and to consider the welfare of others; to fight for a fair go for everyone to fulfil their human potential and to remove whatever unjust obstacles stand in their way, including diminishing their personal responsibility for their own wellbeing; and to do what is right, to respect the rule of law, the sanctity of human life and the moral integrity of marriage and the family. We must recognise an unchanging and absolute standard of what is good and what is evil. Desmond Tutu put it this way:
… we expect Christians … to be those who stand up for the truth, to stand up for justice, to stand on the side of the poor and the hungry, the homeless and the naked, and when that happens, then Christians will be trustworthy believable witnesses.
These are my principles.”
If those are Scott Morrison’s principles, he is not a man of his principles. During his time as Immigration Minister, Morrison showed no trace of “loving kindness” or justice or compassion for refugees who came to Australia by boat looking for protection from persecution.
Peter Dutton claims to be Christian, but he boycotted Kevin Rudd’s Apology to the Stolen Generations in February 2008. Like other members of Coalition governments during the past 16 years, he refers to boat people as “illegal” and he administers a system of detention which shows astonishing cruelty.
This is not the place to give details of Australia’s mistreatment of refugees: the facts are well-enough known. Equally well-known is the Coalition message that a harsh refugee policy is essential to protect refugees from the risk of drowning.
But to suggest that they are worried about refugees drowning is a lie: a fig-leaf to make immoral mistreatment look compassionate. “Worried about people drowning”! So worried that, if they don’t drown, we punish them as if they were criminals, and call them “illegal” to make their punishment look vaguely respectable. We do it, explicitly, as a deterrent so that others will not try to find safety in Australia. And these dishonest politicians, pretending to be motivated by compassion, overlook altogether that if persecuted people stand their ground and are killed by their persecutors, they are still dead: just as if they drowned; if they die in an attempt to escape to some other country, they are still dead: just as if they drowned.
For politicians like Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison and Dutton to say they are worried about boat people drowning is a lie. For them to mistreat asylum seekers in the way they do is a betrayal of the Christian values they cherish.
They are dishonest hypocrites.
Well put.
“Most people expect politicians to lie …”
Why do we accept this as the norm? How can we have any trust in the political system is allowed to proliferate without the perpetrators being called to account?
It is not acceptable …!!!
I agree totally with Julian Burnside.
This is a Julian Burnside Masterpiece.. what an honourable, compassionate and benevolent person… we are fortunate to have him in Australia as he offsets the nasty lying unChristian hypocrites Dutton Abbott Morriscum et al!!
Yes,
now seems to be the time to once again trying to remind all religious people of the world, what they actually are supposed to be all about!!
GAUTAMA BUDDHA.
Hate is not brought to conclusion by hate. Hate is brought to conclusion by Love. This is an eternal law.
KUNG-TZE.
Does a precept exist, that one should follow the whole life through? Compassion’ sprecept is surely this:
Do not do to others, what you do not wish they should do to you. All who are surrounded by the four oceans are brothers; how then can a good human being come to grief, for not having a brother?
LAO-TZE.
By fortunate change, a man could become ruler of the world for a while; but by Love he can rule forever.
ZOROASTER.
To do good toward others is not a duty. It is a joy, for it increases one’s own health and happiness.
ZOROASTRIANISM.
Only the human being is good, that do not do to others what is not good for himself.
JAINISM.
In one’s daily life a human being ought to treat all creations as he or she would like to be treated. In happiness and suffering, in joy and sorrow, we ought to consider all beings, as we consider our own self, and ought therefore to refrain from inflicting pain to others, as would appear undesirable to us if it be inflicted upon ourselves.
HINDUISM.
The essence of our duty is this: Not to do against others, which, if it be done against ourselves, would cause us pain.
Cattle are of different colours; but all milk is alike.
Systems of creed are different; but the Deity is One.
Knowledge (Gnosis) ……. Know each other.
Goodness ……………………. Love thy brother.
SIKHISM.
Treat others as you treat yourself, that you may receive your share of heaven.
Consider all people as equal, as God’s Light is hidden in each and everyone’s heart.
JUDAISM.
Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.
Do not hate your brother in your heart. Do not take revenge on your neighbours child, but Love thy neighbour as thou Love thyself. I am the Lord, and these words I offer thee, shalt be in thy heart and thou shalt enjoin them to thy children, speak of them when you art in thy house and when thou walketh the road, and when thou go to rest and when thou rise.
Do not do to thy neighbour, what is injurious to thyself. This is the whole Tora and the rest is but a comment. Go then and learn it! Compassion is greater than the law,and acts of Love is greater than all ceremonies. Have not all of us One Father?
CHRISTIANITY.
Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is One. (Mark 12:29).
And thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength ; and thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law of the prophets. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
For God maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
ISLAM.
Do toward all human beings that, which you wish they should do toward you, and discard for others what you would discard for yourself. All the created is like God’s kin, for it is maintained by him. He or she that God loves the most,is the human being who do good toward God’s kin. None is a true faithful,if he does not love for his brother, what he loves for himself.
The best and uppermost of God’s children are those, whom, when looked upon, are reminding of God, and the worst of God’s children are those, who spread gossip around for the purpose of doing harm and separate friends and seek to find fault amongst the good and kind.
Be friendly toward your neighbour. Draw the veil over him. Avoid doing harm to him. Regard him with a pleasant look. If you see him doing evil, then forgive him. If you see him doing good toward you, then give a sign of your gratitude.
TOWARD THE LIGHT.
Not to a single human being does He ever close His heart, nor to anyone does He close the portals of the fatherly home. For to God, the creator and Father of the human spirit, it is of no importance to what earthly belief the individual human being adheres in word and action, but it is of importance that human beings in mind and in heart, in Thought and in action should live according to the faith that they profess, and not merely observe its outer forms or cling to its man-made dogmas or to that which is dictated by habit or by ritual, none of which has any spiritual value whatsoever for eternal life.
Only that which calls upon, evokes and maintains the best, the noblest and the finest in human Thought and feeling, only that has lasting and inextinguishable value to the individual.
Not only in the area of religious faith should people learn to yield to each other and to be tolerant of one another’s views and opinions; but also in the areas of social and political life should they try to seek common ground between one another, seek in fellowship to cast off the yoke of Darkness, so that their common journey toward the distant goal may be accomplished under more favourable conditions than hitherto.
How can human beings themselves then help toward the achievement of this task?
Firstly by never acting against better judgement, by always heeding the inner prompting of their conscience and by teaching the coming generations to work for truth, justice and peace on Earth.
AMERICA’S IMMORTAL WORDS.
Let us, without feeling hate to anyone and showing compassion toward all, holding firm to what is right; to such extend as God let us see it, endeavour to accomplish the work we are about doing: To dress the country’s wound, and to do everything possible that will lead to a just and lasting peace between ourselves mutually and with all nations.
LORD BADEN-POWELL.
Happiness is attainable to all, for in the last instance it consist in merely being content with what one has, and to do what one can for other human beings.
EDWIN MARKHAM.
There is a fate which make us brothers and sisters; no one, no body wander his Road alone. Everything we send into others lives, return back into our own.
ROBERT INGERSOLL.
My creed is this: Happiness is the only good. The place upon where we shall be happy is here, and the moment upon which we shall be happy is now. The road to happiness consist in making others happy.
HORAGE MANN.
If we do not do something for others, we destroy ourselves.
VOLTAIRE.
To discover the Truth and to do good, is Philosophy’s two most important aims.
…….
(Citations from the Holy text of world religions and other sources
by Salah-ad-Dien, D.D., Ph.D.; and one citation by Klaus Erik Kastberg).
Cheers
Thank you:
These people take the higher ground by expounding their Christian values, which is just another Howardism really, where he fooled everyone with his “Australian Values” claim which has lead to the rise of the white supremacy movement, racism, xenophobia and bigotry in Australia. A loud, organised group of racist bigots who also assume to be Christian, waving and wearing the Australian flag proves their Australian values, some how. The propaganda of the media is helping recreate our new and explosive identity, the civil war has already begun.
It constantly amazes me how people can manipulate passages from the bible, or any document for that matter, to legitimise a totally contradictory set of behaviours.
Let’s be honest and be truthful here. They are not lying nor pretending what the politicians say and fear. Firstly, the first paragraph of your blog requires a comprehensive and enumeration how the named politicians are exempted of the Law of which I disagree. Secondly, it is clear evidence that there were asylum seekers were drowned when they tried to come over in Australia – and of course everyone is worried and feeling sorry to what had happened to them including the politicians. The thing is with so many asylum seekers it is hard to believe and identify the legitimacy of this as we all know there are so many people who claimed to be asylum seekers to come over in Australia and even paid the boat owner by thousands so that they can travel by boat to cross the dangerous oceans. I know that life is so difficult and I do understand that. However, if any Country would accept anyone coming over without knowing their true identity the fears and consequences are: Firstly, what if they maybe are group of terrorists being sent by terrorists Leaders. Secondly, Can a Country afford to provide them and will not affect the economic condition of the Country? These are 2 important Questions and should always be considered and be weighed carefully to protect the Country and its people from dangers and from becoming the third world country.
Dear Mr Burnside,
Bless you for all that you do on behalf of the powerless people languishing in the gulags of Manus and Nauru.
I have copied your article and sent it to a number of people on my e-mail list, urging then to read it and, in turn, forward it to others. I hope we can slowly turn the tide of public opinion.
With thank and best wishes,
Mitchel Peters
How bad must their countries of origin be if they take such great risks to live in this, a country run by corrupt, self serving individuals controlling and covertly removing the rights of their comfortably numb constituents…wake up people & take positive action