The Unshackled Waves Ep. 140 Inside Manus Island
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Show Description
One area of Australian public policy that is constantly in the news is that of refugees and asylum seekers. Despite our system of mandatory dentition and offshore processing of people who come to Australia by boat having popular support among the Australian community that hasn’t stopped the refugee advocates and the media decrying this policy as loudly as possible unchallenged.
One Australian who has worked at Australia’s offshore processing centre on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea is determine to counter this narrative. Michael Coates has written a book called Manus Days published by our friends at Connor Court Publishing which accounts his time as security agent at the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre and what he observed. We are lucky to be joined by Michael f0r our latest episode.
We learn what attracted him to work on Manus Island and his initial views on Australia’s offshore processing system. He tells us about his interaction with the transfeeres of the centre, their stories, behavior and how some ethnic groups were better to deal with than others. He discusses the impact refugee advocates back in Australia, the media, human rights lawyers and even the conduct of other staff at the center had in hindering his and his colleagues’ ability to maintain safety at the centre. We ask about his thoughts on the center’s closure and the compensation payments given to the transfeeres.
Links to Manus Island Content
Manus Days – Connor Court Publishing
The Latest Leftist ABC Attack: Australia’s Border Control
Manus Island detainees’ $70m compensation settlement approved – ABC News
Peter Dutton Speaks the Truth on ‘Armani Refugees’
The Circus Created on Manus Island
Liberty Victoria Empty Chair Award – Behrouz Boochani
