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Djokovic’s deportation: We must talk about Australia’s failing refugee policies

For nearly a decade, Australia has held vulnerable asylum seekers in offshore detention centres. Where is their media coverage?

By Shaminda Kanapathi
Djokovic’s deportation: We must talk about Australia’s failing refugee policies
Novak Djokovic’s detention and deportation from Australia has dominated the news | PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
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The Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic’s detention and deportation from Australia has dominated headlines and social media around the world for the past week.

But the system he was trying to beat has been failing refugees and asylum seekers for almost a decade, with next to no media coverage at all.

Australia, a country that is a signatory to the UN refugee convention and is vastly in need of migrants to build its community and economy, continuously spits hate at refugees and asylum seekers. Its government maintains two tough policies to prevent people from entering Australia: one is to turn back boats when safe to do so and the second is to punish innocent people in offshore camps.

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