Show me the money

Friday, December 31, 2004. 7:47am (AEDT)


Govt to bill Bakhtiyaris for detention

The Federal Government is planning to bill the now deported Bakhtiyari family for the time they spent in immigration detention.

The Bakhtiyari family was deported to Pakistan yesterday morning.

Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone says the family will be billed for its stay in detention.

"Families of course who have been in detention, if they're found not to need protection, are advised of the cost of their detention," she said.

Senator Vantsone says the Bakhtiyaris were given assistance once their flight from Australia ended.

"The family won't just simply be dropped in Pakistan," she said.

While Senator Vanstone claims the family had a fair go, Dale West, who heads the Centacare welfare agency which looked after the family, is not so sure.

"I have serious questions about the process for their being considered to be refugees," he said.

Mr West says he believes the Bakhtiyaris are from Afghanistan.

"In the last 16 months I've certainly been convinced that they are from Afghanistan," he said.

"They've had contact with family there while they've been in our care."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1274399.htm


I wonder if the Asians who are generously and kindly looking after our Australians in the tidal-wave affected areas will send on their bills for the accomodation and care during their stay with them. Sister Janet Mead, who was honoured, and rightly so, in our Proclamation Day ceremony at Glenelg spoke out in her usual caring, dignified manner about the way the government has treated this particular family. The headmaster of St. Ignatius has spoken out, any number of mild mannered, rational people have been moved to articulate their thoughts on behalf of this family. We do not understand. It doesn't make sense and it is not how we normally treat people in Australia. The whole way this has been done has been horrible. Why Pakistan? Last year we were told the family was not Afghani but Pakistani. People who should know say they cannot speak Urdu and are not from Pakistan but know about areas of Afghanistan and its lifestyle.Bakhtiyari is not a Pakistani name, it's an Iranian name, in my experience. We are finding this very difficult to take in Adelaide. It is very upsetting and deeply frustrating for this to occur at a time when, as Australians, we are affected by what has occurred in Asia and our whole nation, like the rest of the world, wants to reach out and help. We want to be counted. We are full of peace and good will and the government, which we elected to govern, is doing its bit for the catastrophe in Asia, but with this particular family its modus operandi appears quite baffling.

Sorry, folks, but this is not the way I wish to start the New Year. I'm with the folks who have stayed on in Asia to help, who have SMS'd , phoned and forumed to co ordinated funds for Asia. I am with the folk who have disseminated information, collated information and used our technology to benefit others. Yesterday I was stumped because I really am economically challenged. Today it's physics and that is what I am taking into the New Year. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The tsunami brought waves of destruction and devastation. Our reaction as planet earth people, has to be to create an equal and opposite tidal wave of support, aid, help, generosity, care and compassion. I say, go with the flow.