Politically: Nationalist politicians like the APP or Australia First Party have always been afraid of immigration – it is very easy to make people scared of unknown “enemies”. It is the same kind of politics that Pauline Hanson used, but failed spectacularly to articulate any rational arguments.

Australia has a history of racism and xenophobia. Every intake of refugees from wars and brutal governments in Europe, Asia and South America has met resistance from many Australians, but these fears have eventually been proven wrong and their victims shown to be grateful, contributing members of our society, like my grandparents.

The idea that our national nemesis will slip silently into the country and live among us, learning our ways etc., is an easy-sell political platform from the uninspired to the uneducated, but to suggest that Australia is sinking under the weight of its population, when compared with other nations, is laughable.

To deny humanitarian support to refugees because of fears that someone, somewhere, may be taking advantage of us is to isolate ourselves as a fearful and racially-based society. Morally, the so-called denial of freedoms like speech is trumped by a moral obligation to fundamental freedom from war, abuse and systemic poverty. We are lucky to be able to offer these protections to less fortunate people.

Personally, we are all entitled to free speech, but to “make a stand” against refugees is pretty piss weak. Be the bigger man and see that multiculturalism is what makes this country great, not weak. The world has been “globalising” since the 16th century so don’t think it will go back to normal one day, we’re getting closer to other countries and cultures and if we don’t play well with others, they won’t play well with us. We are judged more by the Cronulla riots and Iraq war than Crocodile Dundee and the Sydney Olympics.

Don’t be afraid of people.