The 2012 Australian Refugee Week starts today to coincide with World Refugee Day on June 20th. Take a few moments to sign this petition calling on the Australian government to adopt a new, more humane approach to handling refugees.

In the last few days:

I’ve applied for the position of:

• a Graduate Environmental Scientist
• a cello teacher
• bartender
• volunteer English teacher for refugees

I’m taking anything folks!

AsylumExitAustralia: a video game putting you in the shoes of an asylum seeker.

Will the words ‘video game’ entice you to open the below link?

http://www.sbs.com.au/asylumexitaustralia/

This is a simulation which puts you in the shoes of an asylum seeker and exposes you to some of the difficult situations and decisions that are faced by people who are forced to flee their home country.

The irony is that though this is like a video game, the issue of asylum seekers and refugees is definitely NOT a game. 

I encourage everyone to play it, experience it, understand it, remember it, and then be grateful that you’re playing the video game version and not the real-life version.