Cirrus@Austlit

Dedication: 'This book is about romance, the great adventure of seeking and finding a life partner one loves and trusts. Much romance is about people taking a risk. This book looks at whether Australians see this differently; whether there is such a thing as "Australian romance". It was written at a time when what was Australian, or more often, un-Australian, was being vigorously contested. In the dying days of the last century and the first years of the twenty-first century, it seems as though Australians have become less willing to take a chance, to give others the benefit of the doubt and share the opportunities they enjoy themselves. I dedicate this book to my asylum-seeker friends - whether they are suffering in Australia's urban and desert camps or living on temporary protection and bridging visas, without their families, in government-induced uncertainty, poverty and anxiety. I also dedicate it to their supporters, who work so hard to show that not all Australians are prepared to turn their backs on suffering and injustice. May we all one day live in freedom in the Australia these novels celebrate, a land of compassion, humanity and hospitality towards newcomers who seek our protection.' [5]

Based on the author's PhD thesis (University of Melbourne, 2002).