Vector Volume 11 Issue 2 - 2017

Welfare cuts to refugees, AMSA Global Health
Crossing Borders National Managers
[Commentary]
Sibella Breidahl
and Jasmin Sekhon
Crossing Borders For Health is AMSA Global Health’s project that aims to advocate for
refugees and people seeking asylum. With arms covering Education, Advocacy and
Projects we aim to give students a functional understand of the refugee crisis, with a
focus on the Australian context, as well as contributing to the advocacy based around
creating a fair and fast processing system for people seeking asylum in Australia. Jasmin
and Sib are Crossing Border’s 2017 National Project Managers
We live in a society founded on the values of fairness,
reciprocity and freedom. Whether you call it a scallop
or a potato cake, you’re a millennial or older than Phillip
Ruddock, across lines of politics and race, these values
hold true.
We would all like to think that in our moment of
need we would be supported by our
community. Daily across Facebook and
the media, there are countless examples
of people proudly going above and
beyond for members of their community,
even for complete strangers. The
#sofaforlondon movement in the wake
of the London Bridge attack earlier this
year is a perfect example of this. People
posted on social media offering beds
(and salt and vinegar chips) to strangers who were left
stranded in the attacks.[1] Examples of this exist at
home as well, like the overwhelming response after the
Victorian bushfires in the last decade. We are great at
jumping into action when people need help. Why then,
are Australians so happy to eschew these values when
We are great at jumping into
action when people need
help. Why then, are Australians
so happy to eschew these
values when considering the
question of refugees?
considering the question of refugees?
Many social and economic factors inform the health
and wellbeing of humans. Housing insecurity, job hunting,
lack of access to proper medical care, limited education
pathways, lack of transport. These things pile up. Not
only do refugees face these stresses with no supportive
community or family, but also after years
of trying to get to Australia, often fleeing
horrific wars, genocides and famines.[2]
At the time of their greatest need, the
government resolves that the best thing
to do it to lock them up and throw away
the key.
The government decided in late
August to cut welfare payments to 100
of the 400 people seeking asylum in Australia that have
come to the mainland from regional processing centres
for medical treatment.[3] They plan to extend the cuts to
the other 300 people in this group in the coming months,
including pregnant women, 37 babies and 90 children
who attend school in Australia. This means they will stop
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