Refugee Intake – Church Attenders’ Views

Abstract

The question of refugee intake has become a polarizing issue in Australian society. The often tragic life stories of the individuals and families who seek asylum and claim refugee status in Australia have become a complex part of Australia's own national story as Australians seek to define themselves in an increasingly uncertain world.The 2011 National Church Life Survey was a chance to hear the views of church goers on attitudes towards refugee intake in Australia. The 2011 NCLS survey must be read in the light of the fraught historical time of late 2011. The survey took place in the last quarter of 2011, soon after the High Court of Australia rejected the Federal Government's “Malaysian Solution” on August 31 2011, and in the midst of an increase in the number of “irregular maritime arrivals”. The month of November 2011 saw a record 902 asylum seekers and crew arrive by boat in Australian waters.