Due to government’s decision in sending asylum seekers, who are in Australia for medical treatment, back to the Nauru detention centre, sparks Nicola Barnett’s opinion piece “Lifesaving spirit lost”. Barnett contends that the government is no longer following the Australian values and should reconsider mandatory detention centres and prevention of people smuggling. Barnett’s tone is factual and sarcastic, speaking her mind, and saying it straight to the point. By declaring that sending asylum seekers back to Nauru is “un- Australian” appeals to the reader’s Australian values. That Australian citizens do not believe and want to be culprit in the emotionless decision by the government. Barnett creates a bad connotation being un-Australian and therefore that it is unkind to send the asylum seekers back to Nauru.
Barnett also points out that the medical professionals, the experts, are “advising” asylum seekers to get treatment. The inclusion of experts, and their opinions persuades the reader that treatment is what is necessary for these people, and the fact that the government is denying these people from medical help, may result in a life or death situation. This creates the task to be more urgent and necessary to solve, before many other innocent lives are lost.
Barnett continues, and creates a hypothetical situation from the perspective of the life guard. A life guard represents Australian values, protects others before themselves, and helps the weaker. By creating a hypothetical situation of the lifeguard not saving the one person, because it will discourage others from coming. It allows the reader to clearly understand the foolishness and self absorbed motives of the government, rather than the actual medical saving the asylum seekers require.