Social Rejection of Refugees is Australia’s Loss

This is an article I wrote last week, following an interview with Bobby Whitfield, Liberian refugee and Senior Community Development Officer at the Multicultural Development Association. 

Many refugees face a dangerous journey when seeking asylum to Australia, but many are unaware of the various social challenges they face when they get here.

Even if they survive the leaking boat, the constant threat of pirates and rapists at sea, or the dangerous environment from which they have fled, refugees face a different challenge when they reach Australia. Past the uncertainty of the immigration authorities in granting refugee status, lies an unwelcoming attitude within many parts of the Australian population.

Liberian refugee and Senior Community Development Officer at the Multicultural Development Association, Bobby Whitfield, believes that this attitude comes from a lack of perspective on the issue. “If we talk about countries that are taking in high numbers of refugees, those are developing countries, neighbouring countries to where the crises are being experienced,” he says.

“Relatively comparing that to Australia is very low, in terms of intake of refugees” Bobby goes on. “It is just a big myth that a lot of refugees are coming... The bigger picture is that all the developing countries are actually taking a huge proportion of the burden of sharing the refugee crisis.”

When asked why many Australians act as if refugees are dangerous people, Whitfield argues that it is brought about through the political culture. “It has something to do with playing on the fears of people, and people trying to score political points.”

“These guys are coming in on leaky boats, not gun boats” he says with a wry smile.

The negative social perception of refugees boils down to the notion that they are incapable of making a contribution to Australian society. Whitfield strongly rejects this idea. “Refugees are very industrious people. That whole idea that refugees want to come and just punch off the welfare system is really not true.”

“Most refugees I can assure you are people who are studying, working two jobs... participating in our social events, some are playing sports,” he continues.“That whole thing that refugees are going to be a burden, yes indeed, from the very beginning, you need some support, but that is very short term... it’s not perpetual” Whitfield says.

If anyone needs an example of a refugee making a difference in Australia, look no further than Bobby Whitfield. In December last year, he became the first Liberian refugee to complete a Masters degree at the University of Queensland. With all the work he has done with helping other refugees settle into Australia, nobody can question the contribution and hard work of this man. 

Bobby Whitfield at UQ (Photo supplied by UQ)