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https://theconversation.com/novak-djokovic-was-detained-for-five-days-refugees-in-the-same-hotel-have-been-there-for-years-175112>
"When Novak Djokovic arrived at a Melbourne airport to compete in the 2022
Australian Open, his next stop was not the tennis court but rather the Park
hotel, a hotel-turned-immigration detention centre. The Australian government’s
reasoning was simple: Djokovic did not meet the country’s vaccination
requirements.
During Djokovic’s five-day detention, his family compared his treatment to that
of a prisoner, stating: “He is not a criminal but an athlete.”
Djokovic’s visa debacle and short stay in the Park hotel is a stark contrast to
the plight of the 30-plus asylum seekers also detained there. Journalists
flocked to the hotel to cover the story of the detained tennis player, but paid
little attention to Djokovic’s neighbours, some of whom have been there for
more than two years.
Whether in Melbourne or the country’s notorious offshore centres, immigration
detention, for many, is indefinite. The Park hotel and the experience of its
“residents” are just one example of how states use time and space to reinforce
their borders."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
