Refugees, Asylum Seekers and the News Media

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Using the term “illegal arrivals” to refer to the group of asylum seekers limits the audience from forming a human connection with the group by only referencing them in relation to their “illegal” status. This is a clear example of the news media’s adoption of conservative government rhetoric. In these instances where political lexicon is uncritically adopted, the government is able to closely control the exchange of meaning regarding refugees and asylum seekers and how they are represented through the news media to the public (Lueck et al 2015).

Furthermore, while the article mentions “medical treatment” for as the reason for their transfer to Australia, there is no reference to the allegations of physical and sexual abuse, as mentioned in the previous article, nor the inadequate health care and living conditions on Nauru. This omission of these factors surrounding the groups’ detention serves to minimize empathy from the audience and inadequately explains the implications of their potential return to Nauru.

Reference to the “clear six-to-one majority” in section iii reinforces the authority of the Court, and by extension the legitimacy of the decision. The balance of the article is limited by the use of subjective language – the emphasis on the “clear” majority presents the decision in the realm of common sense, whereby such a decision is positioned as the obvious choice, and any arguments for the alternative are represented as bizarre and unconventional (Santoro 2012). This notion is reinforced in section vi, in which the single dissenting Judge is mentioned. Where in other articles, reasons for this Judge’s position are explored in entire paragraphs, this article provides only a single sentence towards the end of the article. This serves to present the ‘alternative’ viewpoint not only as the minority, but by omitting to include the reasoning behind the viewpoint, the legitimacy of such a position is significantly weakened.

Section iv further enhances the ‘win/lose’ dichotomy in markedly excitable language – “a thumping win” – which seems more suited to sporting commentary than the detention of asylum seekers. Explicit reference to the “bipartisan” nature of the offshore processing laws again emphasises the ‘common sense’ of the decision, as it is implied that laws developed and supported by two opposing political parties carry more legitimacy. That the laws have “helped to stop illegal boats arriving in Australia” further positions the asylum seekers in reference only to their illegality, and serves to further criminalise them by their association with people smugglers, who are sensationally referred to as “ruthless criminal gangs”.

Turnbull’s quote in section v situates the government in the admirable role of ‘protector’, both in relation to the Australian nation-state – “keep our borders secure” – and, more ironically, to the asylum seekers themselves – “to keep lives safe… and to prevent vulnerable people being exploited…”. Assisting to position the government in this way by largely reproducing nationalistic government rhetoric, the article serves to further legitimize the punitive measures and exclusionary stance taken by the government (Lueck et al 2015).

This analysis has highlighted how the language and techniques of news articles concerning issues of refugees and asylum seekers is organised and constructed to portray particular positions. Used in the context of the wider trilateral relationship between the media, overwhelmingly negative government sentiment and punitive policy, and a public that is predominantly apathetic, indifferent and uninformed about the issues (Martin 2015), these techniques and media constructions significantly contribute to a dominant and ongoing discourse of exclusion.

Facilitating a shift: Role of the news media

While the focus of this essay is necessarily limited to the news media, I want to stress the dominant role of government sentiment and policy in influencing these constructions. Considering the constructions of refugees and asylum seekers in the broader media and government framework, it is clear that power relations and social inequalities are reproduced and legitimated in a number of ways through language, discourse and policy (Martin 2015). This highlights the need to open up minority discourses to allow for alternative ways of representing and constructing the issue (Holtom 2013).

Changing perceptions and representations of such a politicized and contentious issue is an undoubtedly slow and incremental process. Progress towards a more understanding, empathetic and humanitarian stance towards refugees and asylum seekers is reliant on the dynamic interplay of factors between the media, the government and the public. However, the influential and informative position of the news media makes it capable of playing a leading role, if not the leading role, in progressing any shifts towards more positive constructions. An objective news media sector that is critical of government policy and conservative rhetoric, that is committed to a truthful representation of fact and argument, and to the facilitation of informed public discussion is fundamental to any positive shift in this area.

Conclusion

News media representations and government policy agendas intersect with public opinion to produce a dominant and ongoing discourse of exclusion in relation to refugees and asylum seekers. Conscious and unconscious news reporting practices, the use of specific linguistic and discursive techniques, and the chronic politicization of the issue contributes to the underlying negative constructions of refugees and asylum seekers in the news media. Despite the dynamic and multifaceted nature of the issue, the news media has a fundamental role to play in facilitating any positive shift towards a more understanding, empathetic and humanitarian position towards the issue.

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References

Academic Articles

Holtom, B. (2013) ‘‘Boat people’ in Australia: press, policy and public opinion’, GeoView: Online Undergraduate Review of Geography and Environmental Studies, available at: http://geoview.iag.org.au/index.php/GEOView/article/view/29/28 (last accessed 26 April 2016)

Jewkes, Y. (2015) Crime and Media, 3rd Edition, SAGE Publications: London

Lueck, K., D. Clemence and M. Augoustinos (2015) ‘Neoliberalism and nationalism: Representations of asylum seekers