The Coalition is finessing its obligations to the most desperate people on earth, calculating it will help keep them in power

The sight of Peter Dutton’s eyes staring down the camera the other night warning that Afghans fleeing the Taliban posed unknown dangers to Australia showed the Tampa times aren’t 20 years in the past. They are now.

What happened then is happening today as our planes lumber in and out of Kabul: a Coalition government is finessing its decent obligations to refugees to hold onto the vote of the 15 to 20% of the electorate most fearful of race, the constituency the Coalition wants to stay in power.

Related: The Tampa affair, 20 years on: the ship that capsized Australia’s refugee policy

Related: Peter Dutton suggests some former Afghan guards and interpreters could pose security risk to Australia

Related: Australian citizens and visa holders turned back from Kabul airport despite having evacuation letters

This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.