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Politics is about persuading voters about priorities.
To do so, facts are important, but they can also be misused in an attempt to win the debate.
Here the facts fight back. This site presents the facts to help keep the debate clean and to persuade politicians and others to stick to the facts.
Home   /   Immigration
Does Australia face a labour shortage? > Check the facts

Does Australia face a labour shortage? > Check the facts

September 4, 2014
Economy, Immigration, Society

A recent report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) claims that “Australia will likely experience a severe labour shortage by 2030” – the country will…

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Should we call asylum seekers 'illegals'? > Check the facts

Should we call asylum seekers ‘illegals’? > Check the facts

October 23, 2013
Immigration

Who: Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has instructed staff to publicly refer to asylum seekers as ‘illegal arrivals’. The Claim: The people who arrive on boats seeking…

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Is Australia unlikely to take in Syrian refugees? > Check the facts

Is Australia unlikely to take in Syrian refugees? > Check the facts

September 5, 2013
Immigration, Society

Who: “Almost certainly if people were fleeing the Syrian conflict, they would not be coming to Australia as a country of first asylum. “Any person…

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Have 50,000 asylum seeker arrivals added to traffic congestion in Western Sydney? > Check the facts

Have 50,000 asylum seeker arrivals added to traffic congestion in Western Sydney? > Check the facts

September 4, 2013
Immigration, Society

Who: “[Asylum seekers are] a hot topic here because our traffic is overcrowded…go sit on the M4, people see 50,000 people come in by boat.”…

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Is Australia's foreign aid really that generous? > Check the facts

Is Australia’s foreign aid really that generous? > Check the facts

September 4, 2013
Immigration

Who: “It will be the highest aid budget in Australian history.” Bob Carr. The Claims: The 2013-14 aid budget will be the highest in history….

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Can the government abolish judicial review of refugee decisions? > Check the facts

Can the government abolish judicial review of refugee decisions? > Check the facts

August 19, 2013
Immigration, Society

Who: “There’s [an internal] review of the initial [departmental] decision …You can have the [administrative] process we’re talking about or you can have a judicial…

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Does Australia take the most refugees? > Check the facts

Does Australia take the most refugees? > Check the facts

July 23, 2013
Immigration

Who: “We take more refugees per head of Australian population than any other nation in the world. We take either the second or third most in…

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Are asylum seeker claims genuine? > Check the facts

Are asylum seeker claims genuine? > Check the facts

July 7, 2013
Immigration, Society

Who:  “The people coming here by irregular maritime arrivals (arriving by boat) are not people fleeing persecution…They’re coming here as economic migrants… We need a…

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Are asylum seekers illegal? > Check the facts

Are asylum seekers illegal? > Check the facts

June 25, 2013
Immigration

Who: “..more people illegally arrive in Australia on another boat.” Scott Morrison. The Claim: That the people who arrive on boats seeking asylum are breaking…

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Why

Between elections governments are held to account through debate. This debate takes place in the parliament, media, in workplaces, at BBQs and parties, around the kitchen table and online.
Politicians, pundits and interest groups attempt to influence the debate and persuade us which side of the debate to take.

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Should the Australian government encourage renewable forms of energy or do we need to support fossil fuels? Is returning the budget back to surplus the number one priority and if so should be decrease spending or increase revenue? Should we focus on industrial relations or indigenous recognition?

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There are, of course, no right answers to such questions. But to use the complexity of a policy issue to cloud debate with half-truths and misrepresentation of the facts to win the debate undermines the democratic accountability of government.

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The media plays an important role in presenting an even handed account of the debate and ensuring a range of voices are heard. In turn politicians are keen to influence the debate through the media's reporting. Undue influence risks silencing some voices from the debate.
As the political debates continue Facts Fight Back will provide a timely and accessible source of information to help keep the debate clean and and ensure the public, journalists and the politicians themselves keep track of who is sticking to the facts.

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