In the last few days of January, hundreds of detainees in the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre staged a heroic three-day protest.

The rising numbers of horrific attacks on Indian students in Australia are the most recent manifestations of the racism that always fuels Australian capitalism.

A letter from inside Villawood detention centre.

There are tragedies unfolding every day on Christmas Island. There are over 1,400 asylum seekers – who have already fled war zones and political persecution – eking out their lives in a jail very similar to Guantanamo Bay. 

Some of those who want to see a more humane approach to refugees argue that they should be brought to Christmas Island, rather then sent to detention centres in Indonesia. Such calls are deeply misguided.

Anyone who heard Brindha, the 9-year-old Tamil asylum seeker, pleading recently to be allowed into Australia should have been disgusted with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s response.

With all the celebrations about the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down just happening to coincide with the latest round of Australian government outrage about people smugglers, you’d think someone would join the dots.

In September, the population of Australia cleared 22 million, prompting a debate over immigration, and the supposed devastation it wreaks on the environment.

Kevin Rudd knows where he stands when it comes to the lives of Tamils fleeing a genocidal government or keeping the votes of every last racist that he can.

When it comes to refugees, a disturbing consensus dominates the debate. From all the voices in parliament, in the media and even the refugee advocacy groups, we hear the same two claims.