Acting from the Heart
Australian advocates for asylum seekers tell their stories

In recent years thousands of Australians from all walks of life have been moved to act in support of asylum seekers and refugees and against the Australian government's immigration policy and practice. In Acting from the Heart, over 50 people who reflect the diversity of this movement describe how and why they became involved. The contributors shared a sense of disbelief and outrage that 'Australian values' suddenly appeared to include callous self-interest and a disregard for human suffering. The detention of over 4000 children could not easily be seen as necessary or 'a fair go'.

The experiences described in this collection speak to the profound emotional impact of involvement in this movement. Advocates have undergone extremes of sadness, anger, frustration and joy. There is sadness at the loss of Australia's moral innocence and of identity; anger about the pain and damage inflicted on vulnerable individuals; and the frustration of dealing with a political and bureaucratic machine intent on detention at all costs, and operating within a punitive model where all are guilty. And, occasionally, all this is leavened with the joy of a detainee being released.

For some, the 'refugee issue' has become a defining personal stance, one which has engaged and divided families and communities. Acting from the Heart shows the hardship and commitment behind this extensive grassroots political movement. Stories, poems and political cartoons by Australia's foremost, award-winning cartoonists, make up this powerful and provocative book.

The refugee question has become a moral debate and, for some, a way of reasserting our essential human values. Acting from the Heart represents a powerful contribution to the ongoing debate about the ethics of our nation and the politics of institutionalised inhumanity worldwide.

Format: 150 x 215 mm, 256 pages, paperback.

The editors write:

"The idea for this anthology arose out of a series of writing workshops run in South Australia and NSW that were originally intended to assist advocates and professionals to deal with the stresses and vicarious trauma resulting from ongoing work with incarcerated families and unsupported refugees in the community. The stories generated were a clear testament to the wrongs of our immigration policy, but also to the strength, determination and grace of asylum seekers, refugees and their advocates. They form an historical record of this significant period in Australia's social history and make compelling reading."