Louise Newman Louise Newman i(A106171 works by)
Gender: Female
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BiographyHistory

Dr Louise Newman has been Professor of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatry, University of Newcastle, and was a Director of the NSW Institute of Psychiatry. She has been involved in advocacy for the human rights of asylum seekers and particularly for children affected by the policy of mandatory detention. [Adapted from Project SafeCom's website at http://www.safecom.org.au/acting-heart.htm]

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Acting from the Heart : Australian Advocates for Asylum Seekers Tell Their Stories Sydney : Finch , 2007 Z1392117 2007 anthology autobiography prose poetry

Personal accounts from over fifty Australians who became involved with the lives of refugees held in Australian detention centres.

'In recent years, thousands of Australians from all walks of life have been moved to act in support of asylum seekers and refugees and against the Australian government's immigration policy and practice. In 'Acting from the Heart', over 50 people who reflect the diversity of this movement describe how and why they became involved. The contributors shared a sense of disbelief and outrage that 'Australian values' suddenly appeared to include callous self-interest and a disregard for human suffering. The detention of over 4000 children could not easily be seen as necessary or 'a fair go'. The experiences described in this collection speak to the profound emotional impact of involvement in this movement. Advocates have undergone extremes of sadness, anger, frustration and joy. There is sadness at the loss of Australia's moral innocence and of identity; anger about the pain and damage inflicted on vulnerable individuals; and the frustration of dealing with a political and bureaucratic machine intent on detention at all costs, and operating within a punitive model where all are guilty. And, occasionally, all this is leavened with the joy of a detainee being released.
For some, the 'refugee issue' has become a defining personal stance, one which has engaged and divided families and communities. 'Acting from the Heart' shows the hardship and commitment behind this extensive grassroots political movement. Stories, poems and political cartoons by Australia's foremost, award-winning cartoonists, make up this powerful and provocative book. The refugee question has become a moral debate and, for some, a way of reasserting our essential human values. 'Acting from the Heart' represents a powerful contribution to the ongoing debate about the ethics of our nation and the politics of institutionalised inhumanity worldwide.' --Publisher's website.

2007 shortlisted Human Rights Awards Literature Non-Fiction Award
Last amended 12 Oct 2007 09:05:38
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