13 year-old 'People Smuggler' Ali Yasmin sent home to Indonesia
The Australian Government has this week announced that as part of a review into the incarceration of Indonesian children in adult jails in Australia, three minors will now be sent home. One of the three children is Yasmin Ali, a (now) 16 year old boy who has been held In Western Australia's Albany maximum security prison and Perth's Hakea Prison for over two years. Yasmin was 13 years of age when first arrested for so-called 'people smuggling' in 2009. At the time Yasmin's only crime was to accept a job as a dec…
Turning back the boats not quite so simple, Tony
“Its good politics to be seen to be ‘tough on people smugglers’ but it’s even tougher to acknowledge that we are locking up the wrong people.” Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Julie Bishop’s visit last week to Jakarta proved a challenge as she explained to senior Indonesian ministers her leader’s policy of wanting to turn back the asylum seeker boats before they reach Christmas Island and dump the hapless passengers back on Indonesian soil. The irony of Mr Abbott's policy is that privately, many Indonesian officials probabl…
Fawlty Towers Alive and Well in Cottesloe
It's 1.50pm on a sunny and gentle autumn day at Cottesloe Beach. Stunning. We walk into a local cafe – the only cafe that has a sunny, north facing, grassed outdoor area on the whole beachfront - with several guests. We walk inside to the counter with the reasonable intent of ordering a meal and a coffee. A girl in the front of the queue asks for a bowl of soup. "Hang on love, I'll check." comes the response from behind the counter. "Hey Rob. Any soup still on?" Rob (apparently he …
Ali Jasmin..the 13 year-old 'people smuggler'
The shocking story of a 13 year-old boy, called Ali Jasmin, and an uncaring bureaucracy... This is the story of a 13 year-old boy named Ali Yasmin (Or Jasmin as we call him in Australia). Yasmin Ali is an Indonesian child who has been locked-up in a Western Australian maximum security prison for over two years when he should be home in a remote village of Indonesia with his mum and dad. The WA-based Indonesia Institute - who have been campaigning for the release of Indonesian children from Australian jails for over two yea…
A Skills Shortage Solution "Maid" for Australia
Foreign nannies would help Australian mums - and our skilled-worker shortage Tony Abbott’s pitch to young women desperately in need of home-help could be dismissed simply as the opposition leader’s attempt to win-over the skeptical female vote. But If you are a young couple struggling to find a balance between work commitments and young children you would not be alone in wishing you had an ‘extra pair of hands’ to help ease the load. Australia not only faces a severe skills shortage in a number of states, but also the reality of many you…
From Pizza to Nasi Goreng in 50 Years
As Australia celebrates Harmony Week , Ross Taylor reflects on our multicultural journey.... Question: What is the difference between an elephant and a ding’s grandmother? Answer: About two kilos! There are three things about this ‘joke’ that I need to say: 1. It is in extremely poor taste. 2. A ‘ding’, for our younger readers benefit, refers to an Italian immigrant. 3. This was typical of the sort of jokes we Australian’s told as part of our objection to allowing Italian immigrants into our country. Welcome to …
Good regional relations more than just free trade and a cup of tea!
As Senator Bob Carr considers his priorities as the new foreign minister, relations with countries to our north will need early attention. China and its irritation at our decision to allow US troops to be based in Darwin is an obvious matter that needs to be addressed. Senator Carr will also need to reflect on another large and emerging neighbour whom our government has created a few ‘Australia-made’ irritations recently: Indonesia. And there have been more than just a few, including the ongoing DFAT warnings for travel to Indonesia, inclu…
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