In Transit.

Using trickery and lies, Australian Navy and Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a boat carrying asylum seekers in December 2012. They were told they would be taken to Christmas island and transferred onto a small lifeboat and handed a document that said: “You only have enough fuel to reach land in Indonesia. You do not have enough fuel to continue your voyage to Australia … if you continue on your journey, the master and crew of your boat will face harsh penalties, which may include a jail term.

The United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone: “owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”All refugees have been asylum seekers. People who arrive in countries that are signatory to the 1951 Convention, regardless of their method of arrival, are entitled to seek refugee protection. Refugee status determination does not discriminate between how a person arrived in a country and lodged their application.

A series of little collages “In Transit” on canvas made from vintage papers, wallpaper, found street litter F.G, Washi tape, pen and ink .

Size 10.2 x 10. 2 each