16/8/2001
Are We Welcoming The Stranger?
Over the last thirty years, we have seen some of the largest movements around the world of people in history. People are moving for many reasons and their movement can be for a short period or permanently. Their movement may be voluntary or involuntary: - push and pull factors and peoples? own perceptions play a significant role in determining whether to move or not. Push factors are those reasons that force people to leave their country such as war and oppression. Pull factors are those that attract people to another country such as protection of rights, work possibilities.
In Australia, there has been much publicity about immigration, refugees and asylum seekers. Often the debate is ill informed and driven by intolerance and fear. This publication hopes to provide some perspective to these public debates and to promote views that respect the dignity and rights of all peoples.
