Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has instructed departmental and detention centre staff to publicly refer to asylum seekers as ‘‘illegal’’ arrivals and as ‘‘detainees’’, rather than as clients.
The directive has been criticised as a ‘‘profound’’ shift by a leading asylum seeker agency, which says the new terminology is designed to dehumanise people.
In an email to detention centre staff, obtained by Fairfax Media, a department official writes: ‘‘The department has received correspondence from the minister clarifying his expectations about the department’s use of terminology. Accordingly we as [sic] that our service providers also adhere to the below instructions.’’
One wonders what ingrained G-gnome is at play here? Having watched the excellent program on Sydney’s Opera House history and the absurd philistine antics of Davis Hughes at the time and the display of similar sentiments by Scott Morrison today towards all that is ‘foreign and out of the norm’, I remain unconvinced that much progress has been made since the sixties and seventies. Are we to remain forever stuck in an old 78 LP record groove? .
With the building of the Opera House and the ultimate sacking of the architect Utzon, a rift existed between the European, specifically Scandinavian craft approach to architecture that Utzon so utterly embodied, and the less individualistic approach of the Anglo-Saxon model of construction widely adopted in Australia. Pragmatism always reigning above the creative.
It seems Australia remains struggling with the concept of accepting differences.
Oosterman Treats Blog 
October 21, 2013 at 12:02 am |
I had already read the article on Scott Morrison. It is quite sickening
The treatment of Utzon over the opera house was shameful. He was not even mentioned at the opening. I note that there were concerns over costs because the original budget was $7 million and it had blown out to $22 million at his time of sacking (with the exterior nearly complete). All up it eventually cost $103 million.
It remains one of the architectural wonders of the world and such a huge draw-card to that city it probably returns to the city that much on an annual basis.
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October 21, 2013 at 12:57 am |
Hello Elizabeth;
Australia was unable to grasp the vision of Utzon. Yes, it is the wonder of the world.
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October 21, 2013 at 12:31 am |
How old is Scott Morrison???
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October 21, 2013 at 12:56 am |
Hello Patti;
Morrison is 44 and grew up in the Sydney suburb of Bronte which is as solidly conservative as a baked dinner with three (boiled) vegies. His dad was a policeman. He studied geography and science.
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October 21, 2013 at 1:09 am
Only 44??? Young enough to have his bottom spanked! I get the feeling he has “father issues” to use against the vulnerable “illegals”. Did his father serve in the war . . .?
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October 21, 2013 at 1:15 am
But he did not understand a thing.
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October 21, 2013 at 3:43 am |
This latest from Scott Morrison. He wants to call ‘a spade a spade’ in regards to using de-humanising terms for boat people.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-21/immigration-minister-scott-morrison-defends-use-of-illegals-term/5035552
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October 21, 2013 at 8:20 pm |
Sickening stuff. I seem to remember that Australia welcomed my brother in the 1960’s for the sum of £10. I guess they thought he would fit in and increase their economic output.
If I ever get to Australia, the Sydney Opera House will be my first port of call.
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