Refugees, storytelling and the upcoming election

Behrouz Boochani and Barat Ali Batoor in conversation: Australia's refugees and the upcoming Federal election

Australia's treatment of refugees has long been a thorny policy issue. So called 'tough' border control over the past 20 years may have stemmed the flow of arrivals by sea, and the tumultuous era of the Manus Island and Woomera detention centres is behind us, but issues remain. Around 8,500 people seeking asylum have been stuck for over a decade in the 'Fast Track' visa system, the Nauru detention centre holds a new group of arrivals, and around 14,000 people seeking asylum remain waylaid in Indonesia.

Journalism plays a key role in highlighting the plight of refugees, but the media has also stoked xenophobic fears of people seeking asylum. What role should journalists and storytellers be playing in this debate? What does ethical storytelling look like? With the Federal election around the corner, will the 'refugee issue' once again enflame our political conversation?

Barat Ali Batoor, a photojournalist and filmmaker, documented his refugee experience of fleeing from Pakistan, via Indonesia to Australia. Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish journalist, will be in conversation with Barat Ali Batoor to discuss the Australian refugee policy and the importance of ethical journalism in presenting first-hand accounts to the wider Australian and international audience.