My thanks to Medianet for this story. My comments follow the story.
Thousands of international students and temporary migrants sour on Australia as they experience exclusion and racism, and increasingly cannot pay for food and basic living needs.
A nationwide survey of more than 6000
international students and other temporary migrants conducted in July 2020 has
found 70% lost all or most of their work during the pandemic. Thousands have
been left unable to pay for food and rent. These migrants make up 10% of the
Australian workforce.
As if we weren’t humans: The abandonment of temporary migrants in Australia
during COVID-19 is the latest report from UNSW Law Associate Professor
Bassina Farbenblum and UTS Law Associate Professor Laurie Berg; co-directors of
the Migrant Worker
Justice Initiative.
Beyond their immediate humanitarian
plight, hundreds linked their distress to the Prime Minister’s message that
those unable to support themselves should “make [their] way home”. They
expressed feelings of abandonment and worthlessness: “like we do not exist”,
“they don’t see us. They can’t hear us”.
In addition, a quarter experienced
verbal racist abuse and a quarter reported people avoiding them because of
their appearance. More than half of Chinese respondents reported experiencing
either or both of these.
“Many reported that because of their Asian appearance they were punched, hit, kicked, shoved, deliberately spat at or coughed on by passers-by in the street and on public transport.”
While previous studies have documented aspects of the financial hardship of temporary migrants, this is the first study that reveals the depth of social exclusion, racism and deeper emotional consequences of Australia’s policies, which have significantly impacted Australia’s global reputation.
Following their pandemic experience,
three in five international students, graduates and working holiday makers are
now less likely or much less likely to recommend Australia as a place to study
or have a working holiday. This includes important education markets such as
Chinese and Nepalese students (76% and 69% respectively were now less likely to
recommend Australia).
“I feel [the] Australian government
doesn't think of temporary visa holders as human beings but merely a money
making machine,” said one female Indian international student. “It’s appalling
to see the PM consoling the citizens saying that we are all in this together but
at the same time telling migrants to go back home in a pandemic.”
Another international Master’s
student observed, “It's completely hypocritical that we’re important for tax
purposes, and in the sense that we contribute billions of dollars to the
economy as university fees, but are treated as some breed of untouchables”.
A/Prof Berg says that Australia
will bear the diplomatic and economic consequences of these policies for
decades to come:
“Many of those suffering in
Australia now will return home to become leaders in business and politics,
holding roles of social influence around the region. Their experiences during
this period will not be quickly forgotten.”
Comment
At a purely personal level, I have been worried for some time about what I see as the harshness and inhumanity of the Australian Government's treatment of international students and other temporary residents during the covid-19 period. This has become more apparent as the crisis has dragged on.
Apart from the human issues involved, I think that the approach works against Australia's national interest. This was an opportunity for Australia to display humanity, to demonstrate to future students and possible residents that this was a worthwhile place to visit and study. Care now would have provided returns later.
You will find the full report at https://www.mwji.org/covidreport.
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