By Rebekah Holt
OPINION: There was an unfortunate amount of inaccuracies in broadcaster Peter Williams op-ed about Behrouz Boochani published on Newshub on Friday.
Williams opens with the assertion Boochani is an "overstayer" about whom "nothing is being done."
Clutch your pearls NZ, you are being milked like a tired old dairy cow.
Except you aren't.
Williams describes Boochani as a writer of some repute.
Boochani is a journalist and multi award-winning writer. Circling back to the theme of journalism and facts, it would be pertinent to remember Boochani was imprisoned while he was doing his highly regarded work.
He had to write his book in tiny bursts on a cell phone because authorities in the detention centre frequently raided and removed the possessions of the men in Manus.
That's a work challenge you don't face in most news environments. I regularly report on Australia's onshore detention centres and I am not allowed to take a phone or a camera in with me. I am sometimes also prevented from taking a piece of paper and a pen.
Williams goes onto stay that the "Australian government policy has remained rock solid. These people will not be allowed into Australia unless in a medical emergency."
I assume Williams means the asylum seekers still in PNG when he uses the phrase "these people" but it's hard to know. Of more concern is his belief that the asylum seekers there are allowed into Australia when there is a medical emergency.
If only that were true. If it were then we wouldn't have lists of the people who died from preventable infections or dire mental health issues that went untreated.
And that is just the offshore detention centres. This year I have reported on the chronic tooth decay and infections of a toddler in the Melbourne immigration detention centre who have not been allowed enough sunlight and fresh food to grow her baby teeth.
Anyone wanting to have a look at Australia's record in this area does not merely have to accept the talking points of one side that they may dislike Mr Williams, the facts of the matter are on the record thanks to the work of journalists like Behrouz Boochani.
Rebekah Holt is a New Zealand journalist based in Australia.
