[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] in 2014 two Vietnamese high school
in 2014 two Vietnamese high school
in 2014 two Vietnamese high school students were suddenly taken out of my
students were suddenly taken out of my
students were suddenly taken out of my community and placed into immigration
community and placed into immigration
community and placed into immigration detention they’d received a letter from
detention they’d received a letter from
detention they’d received a letter from the government that said their presence
the government that said their presence
the government that said their presence in the community was no longer in the
in the community was no longer in the
in the community was no longer in the public interest they’ve been living in
public interest they’ve been living in
public interest they’ve been living in Australia as unaccompanied minors here
Australia as unaccompanied minors here
Australia as unaccompanied minors here seeking asylum from political and
seeking asylum from political and
seeking asylum from political and religious persecution a week after
religious persecution a week after
religious persecution a week after receiving this letter just as they got
receiving this letter just as they got
receiving this letter just as they got home from school still in their school
home from school still in their school
home from school still in their school uniforms immigration officials and
uniforms immigration officials and
uniforms immigration officials and federal police showed up at their house
federal police showed up at their house
federal police showed up at their house told them to pack all their belongings
told them to pack all their belongings
told them to pack all their belongings in a black plastic bag and then whisked
in a black plastic bag and then whisked
in a black plastic bag and then whisked them away to invar Brockie detention
them away to invar Brockie detention
them away to invar Brockie detention center just outside of Adelaide at 3
center just outside of Adelaide at 3
center just outside of Adelaide at 3 o’clock the next morning they were woken
o’clock the next morning they were woken
o’clock the next morning they were woken up taken by four guards two different
up taken by four guards two different
up taken by four guards two different planes flown via different cities and
planes flown via different cities and
planes flown via different cities and then landed in Wickham Point detention
then landed in Wickham Point detention
then landed in Wickham Point detention center in Darwin 2600 kilometers away
center in Darwin 2600 kilometers away
center in Darwin 2600 kilometers away ready for deportation immediately about
ready for deportation immediately about
ready for deportation immediately about a dozen other children who feared they
a dozen other children who feared they
a dozen other children who feared they could be next went into hiding and
could be next went into hiding and
could be next went into hiding and supporters protesting this outrage
supporters protesting this outrage
supporters protesting this outrage organized a rally on the steps of
organized a rally on the steps of
organized a rally on the steps of Parliament House and I was one of the
Parliament House and I was one of the
Parliament House and I was one of the guest speakers some of the friends of
guest speakers some of the friends of
guest speakers some of the friends of these students who were also at risk of
these students who were also at risk of
these students who were also at risk of being deported came to the rally they
being deported came to the rally they
being deported came to the rally they wanted to show solidarity with their
wanted to show solidarity with their
wanted to show solidarity with their friends but also to hide their
friends but also to hide their
friends but also to hide their identities some of them wore masks
identities some of them wore masks
identities some of them wore masks others stood behind the pillars at
others stood behind the pillars at
others stood behind the pillars at Parliament House hoping to not have
Parliament House hoping to not have
Parliament House hoping to not have their faces shown on TV
their faces shown on TV
their faces shown on TV I remember seeing tears streaming down
I remember seeing tears streaming down
I remember seeing tears streaming down their faces as I stood up to soliloquy
their faces as I stood up to soliloquy
their faces as I stood up to soliloquy about injustice and the unnecessary
about injustice and the unnecessary
about injustice and the unnecessary cruelty of our asylum seekers system and
cruelty of our asylum seekers system and
cruelty of our asylum seekers system and then I remember thinking to myself I get
then I remember thinking to myself I get
then I remember thinking to myself I get to go home after this
to go home after this
after this is over all drive home and
after this is over all drive home and put my kids in the car and we’ll go to
put my kids in the car and we’ll go to
put my kids in the car and we’ll go to the playground I’ll sit down with my
the playground I’ll sit down with my
the playground I’ll sit down with my wife and I’ll plan our next day the next
wife and I’ll plan our next day the next
wife and I’ll plan our next day the next week our next year’s after all my fine
week our next year’s after all my fine
week our next year’s after all my fine rhetoric and passionate campaigning I
rhetoric and passionate campaigning I
rhetoric and passionate campaigning I get to go home to my comfortable life
get to go home to my comfortable life
get to go home to my comfortable life I don’t live the nightmare but we often
I don’t live the nightmare but we often
I don’t live the nightmare but we often use the nightmarish experiences of
use the nightmarish experiences of
use the nightmarish experiences of people enduring injustice to sell a
people enduring injustice to sell a
people enduring injustice to sell a different story to people of privilege
different story to people of privilege
different story to people of privilege like me we say become an advocate a
like me we say become an advocate a
like me we say become an advocate a donor a volunteer join this campaign and
donor a volunteer join this campaign and
donor a volunteer join this campaign and you’ll feel fulfilled like you’re making
you’ll feel fulfilled like you’re making
you’ll feel fulfilled like you’re making a difference you’ll get to have exciting
a difference you’ll get to have exciting
a difference you’ll get to have exciting and diverse experiences with like-minded
and diverse experiences with like-minded
and diverse experiences with like-minded people
people
people you’ll feel enriched like you’re really
you’ll feel enriched like you’re really
you’ll feel enriched like you’re really making a difference if you do it well
making a difference if you do it well
making a difference if you do it well enough and long enough there will be
enough and long enough there will be
enough and long enough there will be awards and accolades and a and a career
awards and accolades and a and a career
awards and accolades and a and a career you have a great reputation you’ll know
you have a great reputation you’ll know
you have a great reputation you’ll know you’re a good person you’ll leave a
you’re a good person you’ll leave a
you’re a good person you’ll leave a legacy and people will remember you for
legacy and people will remember you for
legacy and people will remember you for the way that you served others we tell
the way that you served others we tell
the way that you served others we tell people there’ll be a return on their
people there’ll be a return on their
people there’ll be a return on their compassion and so we build charities and
compassion and so we build charities and
compassion and so we build charities and organizations and movements around
organizations and movements around
organizations and movements around shared values and a vision for achieving
shared values and a vision for achieving
shared values and a vision for achieving measurable change for others our
measurable change for others our
measurable change for others our organizations or movements the movements
organizations or movements the movements
organizations or movements the movements they sit within develop common language
they sit within develop common language
they sit within develop common language and ideology and methodologies for
and ideology and methodologies for
and ideology and methodologies for change our activist communities and
change our activist communities and
change our activist communities and organizations develop cultural norms
organizations develop cultural norms
organizations develop cultural norms rituals and rites of passage we start to
rituals and rites of passage we start to
rituals and rites of passage we start to recognize our people by their strict
recognize our people by their strict
recognize our people by their strict adherence to acceptable opinions
adherence to acceptable opinions
adherence to acceptable opinions behaviors and relationships and this is
behaviors and relationships and this is
behaviors and relationships and this is how the return on your compassion is
how the return on your compassion is
how the return on your compassion is apportioned I received my first death
apportioned I received my first death
apportioned I received my first death after I put out a statement as a pastor
after I put out a statement as a pastor
after I put out a statement as a pastor of my local church in support of halal
of my local church in support of halal
of my local church in support of halal certification for milk products a fellow
certification for milk products a fellow
certification for milk products a fellow Christian wrote to me and among other
Christian wrote to me and among other
Christian wrote to me and among other things said I’ll come to your church and
things said I’ll come to your church and
things said I’ll come to your church and rip your tongue from your body to stop
rip your tongue from your body to stop
rip your tongue from your body to stop you from ever blaspheming again you
you from ever blaspheming again you
you from ever blaspheming again you might be able to imagine the response
might be able to imagine the response
might be able to imagine the response when our church announced that we would
when our church announced that we would
when our church announced that we would fully include people of LGBT IQ
fully include people of LGBT IQ
fully include people of LGBT IQ community in the life and leadership of
community in the life and leadership of
community in the life and leadership of our church what happens when your
our church what happens when your
our church what happens when your expectation that you’ll personally
expectation that you’ll personally
expectation that you’ll personally benefit from your involvement in making
benefit from your involvement in making
benefit from your involvement in making the world a better place is not met what
the world a better place is not met what
the world a better place is not met what if the very things that are required to
if the very things that are required to
if the very things that are required to achieve the outcomes you signed up to
achieve the outcomes you signed up to
achieve the outcomes you signed up to fight for or that define your
fight for or that define your
fight for or that define your organization come at great personal cost
organization come at great personal cost
organization come at great personal cost or organizational cost in order to
or organizational cost in order to
or organizational cost in order to achieve them what if the things that
achieve them what if the things that
achieve them what if the things that need to be said or done to achieve
need to be said or done to achieve
need to be said or done to achieve better outcomes for others lead to
better outcomes for others lead to
better outcomes for others lead to poorer outcomes for you and your family
what if the right decision for the
what if the right decision for the people for whom you advocate is not the
people for whom you advocate is not the
people for whom you advocate is not the same as the right decision for the cash
same as the right decision for the cash
same as the right decision for the cash flow mailing list or reputation of the
flow mailing list or reputation of the
flow mailing list or reputation of the organization you’ve worked so hard to
organization you’ve worked so hard to
organization you’ve worked so hard to build when you stand at the intersection
build when you stand at the intersection
build when you stand at the intersection of self-interest and transformational
of self-interest and transformational
of self-interest and transformational change who wins as a pastor I see that
change who wins as a pastor I see that
change who wins as a pastor I see that being involved in activist movements
being involved in activist movements
being involved in activist movements provides many of the same benefits of
provides many of the same benefits of
provides many of the same benefits of being involved in a religion you have
being involved in a religion you have
being involved in a religion you have ideological certainty you have a
ideological certainty you have a
ideological certainty you have a framework for making sense of the world
framework for making sense of the world
framework for making sense of the world cultural norms that let you know you
cultural norms that let you know you
cultural norms that let you know you belong there’s a list of righteous acts
belong there’s a list of righteous acts
belong there’s a list of righteous acts and evil sins and purity is rewarded
and evil sins and purity is rewarded
and evil sins and purity is rewarded with regular affirm a
with regular affirm a
with regular affirm a as an activist I know that if you break
as an activist I know that if you break
as an activist I know that if you break any of those rules you lose all of those
any of those rules you lose all of those
any of those rules you lose all of those benefits you don’t lose your salvation
benefits you don’t lose your salvation
benefits you don’t lose your salvation but you lose your status as a righteous
but you lose your status as a righteous
but you lose your status as a righteous comrade but sometimes the words your
comrade but sometimes the words your
comrade but sometimes the words your movement wants to hear are not the words
movement wants to hear are not the words
movement wants to hear are not the words that will lead to better outcomes for
that will lead to better outcomes for
that will lead to better outcomes for people sometimes the actions your
people sometimes the actions your
people sometimes the actions your supporters demand of you are not the
supporters demand of you are not the
supporters demand of you are not the actions that will lead to changing lives
actions that will lead to changing lives
actions that will lead to changing lives or society for the better when activism
or society for the better when activism
or society for the better when activism is practiced like a religion it becomes
is practiced like a religion it becomes
is practiced like a religion it becomes more important to say the right things
more important to say the right things
more important to say the right things at the right time with the right amounts
at the right time with the right amounts
at the right time with the right amounts of vitriol than to achieve outcomes for
of vitriol than to achieve outcomes for
of vitriol than to achieve outcomes for people when activism is practice like
people when activism is practice like
people when activism is practice like religion it becomes less important to
religion it becomes less important to
religion it becomes less important to get outcomes for people and more
get outcomes for people and more
get outcomes for people and more important to protect the institutions
important to protect the institutions
important to protect the institutions and brand names that were first set up
and brand names that were first set up
and brand names that were first set up to achieve those very outcomes we start
to achieve those very outcomes we start
to achieve those very outcomes we start out with really pure intentions but we
out with really pure intentions but we
out with really pure intentions but we can fall into the trap of elevating the
can fall into the trap of elevating the
can fall into the trap of elevating the importance of our ideology our
importance of our ideology our
importance of our ideology our reputation or our brand over the
reputation or our brand over the
reputation or our brand over the importance of change for people who need
importance of change for people who need
importance of change for people who need change most what if the only thing we
change most what if the only thing we
change most what if the only thing we were truly dogmatic about was achieving
were truly dogmatic about was achieving
were truly dogmatic about was achieving better outcomes for people communities
better outcomes for people communities
better outcomes for people communities and our society would that make our
and our society would that make our
and our society would that make our activist communities and organizations
activist communities and organizations
activist communities and organizations safe places to discuss strategy
safe places to discuss strategy
safe places to discuss strategy narrative achievable goals and even to
narrative achievable goals and even to
narrative achievable goals and even to propose solutions that might put us out
propose solutions that might put us out
propose solutions that might put us out of business but will change someone’s
of business but will change someone’s
of business but will change someone’s life for the better my friend Jared
life for the better my friend Jared
life for the better my friend Jared McKenna says some people are so addicted
McKenna says some people are so addicted
McKenna says some people are so addicted to being right they get in the way of
to being right they get in the way of
to being right they get in the way of the world
the world
the world being made right some people are so
being made right some people are so
being made right some people are so addicted to being right they get in the
addicted to being right they get in the
addicted to being right they get in the way of the world being made right we
way of the world being made right we
way of the world being made right we need to remember that it’s not an
need to remember that it’s not an
need to remember that it’s not an ideology or a brand that we’re fighting
ideology or a brand that we’re fighting
ideology or a brand that we’re fighting for where victory can be measured in
for where victory can be measured in
for where victory can be measured in trending on Twitter or shaming the
trending on Twitter or shaming the
trending on Twitter or shaming the opposition or scoring points in a
opposition or scoring points in a
opposition or scoring points in a debate winning isn’t being the most pure
debate winning isn’t being the most pure
debate winning isn’t being the most pure or the most righteous or getting the
or the most righteous or getting the
or the most righteous or getting the most likes the biggest mailing list or
most likes the biggest mailing list or
most likes the biggest mailing list or the largest marketshare
the largest marketshare
the largest marketshare winning is achieving meaningful change
winning is achieving meaningful change
winning is achieving meaningful change experienced by real people can we not
experienced by real people can we not
experienced by real people can we not get sucked in by the promise of being
get sucked in by the promise of being
get sucked in by the promise of being someone or building something instead
someone or building something instead
someone or building something instead can we simply risk it all for the sake
can we simply risk it all for the sake
can we simply risk it all for the sake of others and so I’m not asking you
of others and so I’m not asking you
of others and so I’m not asking you today to be creative and clever
today to be creative and clever
today to be creative and clever campaigners or innovative activists or
campaigners or innovative activists or
campaigners or innovative activists or passionate progressives I’m not asking
passionate progressives I’m not asking
passionate progressives I’m not asking you to commit to leaving a legacy or
you to commit to leaving a legacy or
you to commit to leaving a legacy or building a thriving organization I’m
building a thriving organization I’m
building a thriving organization I’m asking you to simply love people love
asking you to simply love people love
asking you to simply love people love people more than you love your place in
people more than you love your place in
people more than you love your place in the cause need social transformation
the cause need social transformation
the cause need social transformation more than you need to get good stats on
more than you need to get good stats on
more than you need to get good stats on your next campaign or win the next
your next campaign or win the next
your next campaign or win the next tender or get the next promotion the
tender or get the next promotion the
tender or get the next promotion the question I had to ask myself that day at
question I had to ask myself that day at
question I had to ask myself that day at Parliament House and every day when I’m
Parliament House and every day when I’m
Parliament House and every day when I’m confronted again by the reality of other
confronted again by the reality of other
confronted again by the reality of other people’s nightmare is do I expect
people’s nightmare is do I expect
people’s nightmare is do I expect something back for my solidarity do I
something back for my solidarity do I
something back for my solidarity do I expect a return on my compassion and I
expect a return on my compassion and I
expect a return on my compassion and I leave that same question with you now do
leave that same question with you now do
leave that same question with you now do you expect a return on your compassion
you expect a return on your compassion
you expect a return on your compassion thank you
”
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