The Wire

For the past week ads have been airing on national television around the country, highlighting proposed changes to government policy that could see child asylum seekers go back behind bars and all boat people processed in pacific island centres. The ads feature the voice of actor Jack Thompson and the daughter of a Vietnamese refugee who came to Australian in the 70s. They aim to throw the spotlight on changes to immigration policy that have been promised by the Australian government, in a bid to appease Indonesia following the backlash to our country’s move to grant asylum to 42 West Papuans. These ads have been funded by ordinary Australians, who belong to Get up, a new progressive lobby group that has emerged last year with the aim of campaigning on social justice issues in a non-partisan manner. But can these campaigns really make a difference and what do they say about the way Australians are now engaging in political debate? In a moment we’ll hear from some of the people behind these campaign but first, to that ad.