Brightest young expats horrified at vilification of refugees

By Tony Stephens

More than 100 of Australia's brightest young citizens, led by astronomer and 1999 Young Australian of the Year, Bryan Gaensler, have objected to the Prime Minister over what they say is the Government's attempt to dehumanise refugees trying to escape persecution.

Their letter to Mr Howard accuses the Government of legitimising intolerance in Australia.

Signed by 137 Australian graduates now working around the world, the letter says: "We are deeply concerned that Australia's international standing as an open and tolerant nation has been compromised."

One of the signatories, Andrew Leigh, of Harvard University, delivered the letter to the Prime Minister's office on Tuesday. Copies have gone to the Governor-General, Dr Peter Hollingworth, and to other political leaders. Other signatories include Professor Hilary Charlesworth, of the Harvard Law School, Evan Kaldor, of Morgan Stanley's strategic planning group in New York, and Dr John Romalis, of the University of Chicago's economics department.

Dr Gaensler, now at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, said yesterday he spoke to friends after being depressed by what was going on. "The friends spoke to friends and we had the signatures in four days. They represent a broad slice of the Australian community but include the cream of the crop of the expat community."

The letter strongly objects "to the Government's use of language that dehumanises and vilifies refugees trying to escape persecution".

It goes on: "We feel that, as Prime Minister, you have a responsibility to encourage Australian citizens to overcome their fears and uncertainties about the significant changes that are currently taking place in the international sphere.

"Instead, we believe that your Government has framed the debate in a way that gives legitimacy to intolerance in the general community. We ask you to move beyond populism and to conduct Australia's affairs in a way that reflects our status as a forward-thinking nation.

"We call on the Australian Government to comply with its international treaty obligations with respect to refugees, and to meet its responsibilities as an international citizen in responding to humanitarian disasters.

"We call on the Australian Government to respond to the current refugee crisis (as it did for East Timor) by increasing the number of available places in the Humanitarian Program for the refugees currently fleeing Central Asia and the Middle East. We call on the Australian Government to put an end to mandatory detention and to inhumane treatment of asylum seekers."

The signatories include: Geraldine Chin, Harvard University; Jon Astley, UN Compensation Commission, Geneva, Switzerland; Ben Austin, Dublin; James Bales, Hamburg, Germany; Marianna Brungs, Cambridge University; Hilary Emmett, Cornell University; Clinton Free, Oxford University; Dr Duncan Galloway, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Hemali Gunaratne, Boston Police Department; Dr Andrew Hopkins, University of Pittsburgh; Tonja Jacobi Stanford University; Kate Murphy, Smithsonian Institute; Bruce Preston, Princeton University.

Full List of signatories

• Dr Bryan Gaensler Cambridge MA, USA Clay Fellow, Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, Harvard University 1999 Young Australian of the Year
  
• Ms Geraldine Chin, Fulbright Scholar and Knox Fellow, Harvard Law School, Harvard University
  
• Mr Andrew Leigh, USA Knox Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  
• Mr Simon Fitzpatrick, Knox Fellow, Harvard Law School, Harvard University
  
• Ms Kerrie Burmeister, Fulbright Scholar, Harvard Law School, Harvard University
  
• Ms Avril Alba, Faculty Member, Harvard Hillel, Harvard University
  
• Mr Jon Anstey, Geneva, Switzerland, Legal Officer, United Nations Compensation Commission
  
• Mr John Asker, PhD Candidate, Department of Economics, GSAS, Harvard University Research Associate, Harvard Business School, Harvard University
  
• Ben Austin, Dublin, Ireland
  
• Dr Ivan Baldry, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University
  
• James Bales, Hamburg, Germany Central Co-ordinator for Australia/NZ/Asia/Pacific Region, Hamburg-Sud
  
• Laurie Berg, Graduate Merit Scholar, School of Law, New York University
  
• Saskia Besier, Lecturer, University of Canterbury
  
• Jacqueline Boyle, UK Marketing Manager, Microsoft Ltd
  
• Dr Roger Brissenden, Chandra X-ray Centre, Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics
  
• Dr Kate J. Brooks, Astronomy Fellow, European Southern Observatory
  
• Chester Brown Cambridge, Sir Robert Menzies Scholar in Law, Cambridge University
  
• Marianna Brungs, Benefactor's Scholar, St John's College, Cambridge University
  
• Catherine Buckmaster, Boston
  
• Melissa Bullen Solicitor, London
  
• Rachel Buxton, Rhodes Scholar and Wilkinson Junior Research Fellow, Worcester College, Oxford University
  
• Matthew Bye, Office of General Counsel, Federal Trade Commission
  
• Dr Tom Burne, Milton Keynes, UK, Research Scientist
  
• Amanda Chadwick, Centenary of Federation Chevening Scholar, London School of Economics
  
• Dr Daniel Chan Ann Arbor, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
  
• Prof Hilary Charlesworth, Visiting Professor, Harvard Law School, Harvard University
  
• Andrew Charlton, 2001 Rhodes Scholar, St John's College, Oxford University
  
• Andrew Cheung, Merrill Lynch Industry Challenge Scholar, London Business School
  
• Philip Clark, 2001 South Australia Rhodes Scholar, Balliol College, Oxford University
  
• Todd Clewett, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  
• James Cockayne, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  
• Stephen Collins, USA Project Manager, Lucent Technologies
  
• Jared Cowie, Corpus Christi College, Oxford University
  
• Tamara Dim, Producer (Local Arts), Battersea Arts Centre

  Joseph Duncan, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  

• Macgregor Duncan, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University
  
• Dr Peter Edmonds, Research Associate, Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, Harvard University
  
• Andrew Egan, New York, USA
  
• Hilary Emmett, Fulbright Scholar, Cornell University
  
• Dr Geoffrey Facer, Microfluidic Chip Scientist, Fluidigm Corporation
  
• Patrick Flynn, Sir Robert Menzies Scholar in Law, Cambridge University
  
• Lisa Ford, Richard Hofstadter Fellow, Department of History, Columbia University
  
• Clinton Free, 2000 NSW Rhodes Scholar, Balliol College, Oxford University
  
• Dr Duncan Galloway, Postdoctoral Associate, Centre for Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Dr Lisa Germany, Astronomy Fellow, European Southern Observatory
  
• Marco Ghisalberti, Schoetler Fellow, Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Hemali Gunaratne, Policy Analyst, Boston Police Department
  
• Bernie Harrison, Fulbright Scholar, Institute for Health Care Delivery Research, Intermountain Health Care
  
• William Hawkins, PhD student in Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Mr Thomas James Hannaford Oxford, United Kingdom Clarendon Scholar and D.Phil. candidate in philosophy, Oxford University
  
• Ms Jean Hayden Cambridge MA, USA MBA Candidate, Harvard Business School, Harvard University
  
• Mr Colin Hayward Allston MA, USA Project Manager, Motorola
  
• Mr Malcolm Hebblewhite Poway CA, USA New Business Development Manager, ResMed Corp
  
• Ms Gemma Heddle Cambridge MA, USA Graduate Student, Technology and Policy Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Mr Murray Height Cambridge MA, USA Fulbright Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Mr Jeremy Heimans Cambridge MA, USA Knox Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  
• Mr Andrew Hertzberg Cambridge MA, USA PhD candidate, Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Mr Justin Hewitt New York NY, USA Lawyer
  
• Ms Megan Hirst Cambridge, United Kingdom Commonwealth Scholar, Cambridge University
  
• Ms Lisa Hodgkiss Johnston San Francisco CA, USA
  
• Dr Andrew Hopkins Pittsburgh PA, USA Hubble Fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh
  
• Ms Devika Hovell The Hague, The Netherlands Judicial clerk, International Court of Justice
  
• Ms Jayne Huckerby New York NY, USA Exchange Student, School of Law, New York University
  
• Mr Sam Hudson Boston MA, USA
  
• Ms Lindy Hulton Phoenix AZ, USA Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture
  
• Mr Michael Izzo Oxford, United Kingdom 2000 Rhodes Scholar for Australia-at-large, Lincoln College, Oxford University Lecturer in Law, St Catherine's College, Oxford
  
• Ms Tonja Jacobi Stanford CA, USA Stanford University
  
• Mr Brendan Johnston San Francisco CA, USA
  
• Mr Evan Kaldor New York NY, USA Associate, Strategic Planning Group, Morgan Stanley, New York
  
• Ms Nicola Kaldor New York NY, USA
  
• Ms Linda Kalnejais Woods Hole MA, USA Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
  
• Mr Jonathan Kearns Cambridge MA, USA Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Mr Christopher Kearns Singapore Senior Architectural Associate, Airport Division, PWD Consultants
  
• Mr Andrew Keller London, United Kingdom MBA Student, London Business School
  
• Dr Vikram Khurana Cambridge MA, USA Fulbright Scholar and Harvard Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University
  
• Dr Zoe Laidlaw Sheffield, United Kingdom Lecturer in International History, Department of History, University of Sheffield 1997-2000 Commonwealth Scholar
  
• Ms Ingrid Lane London, United Kingdom
  
• Mr Andrew Lang Cambridge, United Kingdom Gates Cambridge Scholar, Cambridge University
  
• Dr Catherine Leamey Cambridge MA, USA Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1998-2001 Peter Doherty Postdoctoral Fellow
  
• Mr Craig Leech New York NY, USA Civil Engineer
  
• Mr Paul Loftus London, United Kingdom Commonwealth Scholar, School of Law, King's College, University of London
  
• Ms Arlie Loughnan New York NY, USA Fulbright Scholar, New York University
  
• Ms Kate Luxford Oxford, United Kingdom 2000 Western Australia Rhodes Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford University
  
• Ms Jane McAdam Oxford, United Kingdom Chevening Scholar and Clarendon Scholar in Refugee Law, Oxford University
  
• Ms Shannon McDermott Boston MA, USA Biomedical Engineer, NeuroMuscular Research Center, Boston University
  
• Mr Patrick Mackerras Peterborough, United Kingdom Mathematics Teacher, Oundle School
  
• Ms Alex Macoun Durham NC, USA Exchange Student, School of Law, Duke University
  
• Mr David Madden Cambridge MA, USA Fulbright Scholar and Knox Fellow, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  
• Mr Yoni Magid Cambridge MA, USA Harvard Law School, Harvard University
  
• Ms Felicity Maher Oxford, United Kingdom Commonwealth Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford University
  
• Mr Tim Markham Oxford, United Kingdom Doctoral student in Politics, Oxford University
  
• Mr Michael Mellon London, United Kingdom
  
• Dr Daniel Mortlock Cambridge, United Kingdom Research Associate, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
  
• Ms Kala Mulqueeny Cambridge MA, USA Graduate Fellow, Harvard Law School, Harvard University
  
• Ms Kate Murphy Baltimore MD, USA Research Scientist, Smithsonian Institution
  
• Mr John Murray London, United Kingdom
  
• Ms Tracy O'Callaghan New York NY, USA
  
• Ms Sarah Ogilvie Oxford, United Kingdom Trinity College, Oxford University
  
• Mr Nicholas J. Owens New York NY, USA
  
• Mr Bruce Preston Princeton NJ, USA Woodrow Wilson Scholar, Department of Economics, Princeton University
  
• Mr Nick Purtell The Hague, The Netherlands Lawyer
  
• Ms Elizabeth Raper London, UK Solicitor, Baker and McKenzie
  
• Mr Andrew Riseley London, United Kingdom Commonwealth Scholar, Law Department, London School of Economics
  
• Dr John Romalis Chicago IL, USA Assistant Professor of Economics, Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago
  
• Ms Fiona Romeo London, United Kingdom Development Producer, Freeserve.com
  
• Mr Michael Rush Oxford, United Kingdom Magdalen College, Oxford University
  
• Mr Matthew Sag California, USA Attorney
  
• Mr Ben Saul Oxford, United Kingdom Commonwealth Scholar and Sir Edward Weary Dunlop Medallist, Magdalen College, Oxford University
  
• Ms Bethany Sharman Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Student and Development Consultant
  
• Ms Victoria Silberbauer London, United Kingdom Lawyer
  
• Ms Amelia Simpson New York NY, USA Fulbright Scholar and Bretzfelder Constitutional Law Fellow, Columbia Law School, Columbia University
  
• Mr James Slezak Ithaca NY, USA Department of Physics, Cornell University
  
• Ms Sanya Reid Smith Oxford, United Kingdom 1999 Victoria Rhodes Scholar, Balliol College, Oxford University
  
• Ms Varya Smith London, United Kingdom Senior Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton
  
• Mr Tom Snow Oxford, United Kingdom 2000 Victoria Rhodes Scholar, Magdalen College, Oxford University
  
• Mr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah Oxford, United Kingdom Rhodes Scholar, Oxford University
  
• Ms Lucy Stackpool-Moore Cambridge MA, USA Harvard College, Harvard University
  
• Ms Cassandra Steer Amsterdam, The Netherlands University of Amsterdam
  
• Mr David Stewart London, United Kingdom Solicitor
  
• Ms Jan Strugnell Oxford, United Kingdom 2000 Queensland Rhodes Scholar, Merton College, Oxford University
  
• Mr Steven Suchting Oxford, United Kingdom Rhodes Scholar, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford University
  
• Mr Anthony Swan Boston MA, USA Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
• Mr Andrew Tanner New York NY, USA Australian Equities Specialist
  
• Ms Nastasya Tay Oxford, United Kingdom Philosophy, Politics and Economics Honours Student, Christ Church College, Oxford University
  
• Ms Katherine Ters St Petersburg, Russia English Teacher
  
• Mr Christopher Thompson London, United Kingdom Graduate Student, Economics Department, London School of Economics
  
• Ms Libby Toohey London, United Kingdom Solicitor
  
• Dr Ann Vickery Philadelphia PA, USA Fulbright Scholar and Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University and Temple University Mr Ian Wanless Oxford, United Kingdom Junior Research Fellow, Christ Church College, Oxford University
  
• Ms Megan Watson New York NY, USA Legal Consultant, Office of Legal Counsel, United Nations
  
• Mr Tim Watts Washington DC, USA Research Associate, New America Foundation
  
• Ms Rachel Wilson Oxford, United Kingdom Department of Educational Studies, Oxford University
  
• Ms Helen Wodak La Paz, Bolivia
  
• Dr Justin Wolfers San Francisco CA, USA Assistant Professor of Economics, Stanford University Fulbright, Knox and Menzies Scholar
  
• Mr Craig Wood London, United Kingdom 1999 Western Australia Rhodes Scholar, London Business School
  
• Dr Michael Woolcock Germantown MD, USA Social Scientist, Development Research Group, The World Bank Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
  
• Mr Warren Yenson Hoboken NJ, USA Associate, Morgan Stanley, New York

  
  

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