In 2001, the Howard Government brought about a massive change in political and social attitudes towards refugees when it refused the ‘Tampa’ a Norwegian freighter carrying 433 rescued refugees, entry into Australia. This decision was the beginning of a slippery downward slope of detaining refugees offshore and using them as political pawns to score votes from members of Australian society anxious about the perceived threat that refugees and immigrants pose.

Award winning author Felicity Castagna has set her novel ‘No More Boats’ is set in Sydney’s Western suburbs at the time of the events around the Tampa and Felicity Castagna called into the show to tell us more about her new book.

More information can be found here:

http://giramondopublishing.com/product/no-more-boats/