Mary Anne Kenny

This chapter explores the negative and often punitive policy impacts on people seeking asylum who arrived in Australia by boat between 2012-2013, and the experiences of the authors in a quiet, localised, relational advocacy approach in response. This approach was adopted by the Western Australian Refugee and People Seeking Asylum Network to advocate for policy improvements at the state level, including to address some of the key negative welfare, employment and wellbeing impacts experienced by people on the temporary Safe Haven Enterprise Visa. The Network’s efforts have resulted in tangible positive policy reforms, with a significant contributing factor being the development of political allies through meetings between network members, particularly those with lived experience of seeking asylum, and Members of Parliament and other government officials. These meetings enabled connections to be established between participants, which led to Members of Parliament learning about what it is like to live on a temporary visa in Western Australia, and network members learning about how to further engage with the political system. The voices and involvement of those with lived experience of seeking asylum were central to this.

This chapter critically reflects on the authors’ involvement in an advocacy group based in Western Australia that comprises people from an asylum-seeking background as well as those who are Australian citizens. The chapter explores how those with lived experience of seeking asylum and those who act in solidarity can work together to respond to structural injustice. Advocacy from the group has resulted in some policy shifts at the local (state government) level, and is now contributing to a broader movement to give expression to local advocacy at the national level as well as grounding that broader movement in local work. We explore what we have learned and gained from our involvement in this group through drawing on Iris Marion Young’s concept of political responsibility for structural injustice as an act of solidarity between people seeking asylum and those who reside in their country of asylum.

Asylum seekers who arrived in Australia by boat between 2012 and 2013 have been the subject of numerous negative changes in policy and law. These have covered issues such as denial of work rights, changes to rights in review, restrictions on funded legal assistance and access to interpreters. Most recently, they have been forced through a ‘fast track’ process, pressuring them into an expedited and complex system with no funded legal assistance. This chapter presents research on the impact this process had on the mental health of the fast-track applicants and those who have stepped in to assist them. It also considers whether this context is an appropriate setting for clinical legal teaching. Should students be protected from areas that are highly politicised and traumatic or is exposure to law’s injustice an important part of legal education?

Introduction
While the health systems in Australia, New Zealand and other developed countries are regarded as some of the finest in the world, there is an ever-present need to ensure flexibility regarding cultural competence and responsiveness and cultural inclusivity across a range of practice settings. Australia, for example, has one of the most diverse populations in the world, with more than 25 per cent of its current population being born overseas (Commonwealth of Australia, 2012). If current rates of immigration to Australia continue to grow, it is estimated that by 2050 approximately one-third of Australia's population will be overseas-born (Cully and Pejozki, 2012).This chapter examines the mental health needs of people from refugee and immigrant backgrounds, with particular emphasis given to asylum seekers. Mental health issues that may affect these populations are explored, as is engagement between people of refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds and mainstream mental health services. This chapter seeks to deepen and broaden readers’ understanding of the effects of trauma among people of refugee background, and links this to strategies that might be used by mainstream mental health practitioners and services in response.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE
Hanan's story – part one
My name is Hanan. I am a 51-year-old housewife and mother of two from Iraq, where I worked as a teacher for 10 years. My journey began in 1996, when I left Iraq with my family and spent time living in Jordan, Syria, Iran, Malaysia and Indonesia, then Nauru before eventually, in 2004, being granted refugee protection and permanent residence in Australia.Traumas to my mental health started during the journey to Australia in a leaky fishing boat, upon which 270 people were squashed, including my young sons. During the boat journey I felt uncertain of my survival from one hour to the next and was in a constant state of high stress for several days. This constant fear was compounded by my children becoming ill, the lack of a bathroom (with only one toilet on board) and the smugglers constantly demanding that all passengers move around to balance the boat and stop it from taking on too much water and sinking. When the boat was no longer safe, I was told to wait for another ship to pick us up. We waited for seven days on the boat while it took on water. I suffered a constant fear of death.