Yass is a long way from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and the awful problems that have brought about the biggest exodus of persecuted people from those countries since the end of World War II and number of those who have headed to Europe from these countries and from Africa, as well, runs into the hundreds of thousands.

The reception of these people in Europe has been generous in most cases, as their plight is recognised and humanity has, by and large, overridden any prejudice when their needs are considered. One can only but feel admiration for them in recognising that these unfortunates are people with a pressing need to seek a better life and security for themselves and their families.

Comparing this situation to Australia and adding profound insult to the injury of such unfortunate people is the way in which many of them, who have braved the dangers of the boats attempting to reach Australia, end up through 'Operation Sovereign Borders' in the horrific detention camps on Manus Island and Nauru.

The Australian taxpayer pays millions of dollars to keep these desperate people in hellish camps indefinitely, where they are denied access to basic medical care, live in constant fear of regular rape and sexual abuse and have no hope that they might ever be released from their island prisons or possibly being sent to a Third World country, Cambodia, itself lacking in infrastructure and run by an authoritarian government whose own human rights abuses are well documented.

According to last Monday’s Senate estimates hearing into the conditions in the asylum seeker detention centre in Nauru, the cost  is $645,726 per asylum seeker during an 11-month period, or almost $2000 a day.  It would be vastly cheaper to give each asylum seeker free housing, enrol each one in public school, or even house each one in a mainland prison. Remember, too, that there are more than a hundred children locked up in these places.

As I feel admiration for those who are willing to help such people, so I fell shame at what my country, Australia has failed to do, with the boastful and almost fascist mantra of "Stop the Boats" defining our government's responses regarding these unfortunate people.

Brian Millett

YASS