Nauru a country requiring aid from Australia and has been forced to do Australia’s biding and has interned indefinitely asylum seekers who had made it to the Australia migration zone. An arrangement that sees Nauru held over a barrel for desperately needed aid money while privately contracted organisations run the concentrations camps in appalling conditions for profit.

The flotillas of Hope project was an amazing act of selflessness, brave people putting their lives on the line for what they believe in. Not just words of wisdom but an action far beyond the under estimated expectations of our government, riding rough seas those 7 brave souls took to the high seas to bring hope, and it’s truly mind boggling. While some were first-time sailors others were seasoned like Keith, Lance and Ruth but it was still a dangerous mission, one that for the crew and all who supported them paramount. Feeling powerless for the crew and many advocates triumph would be brought about through the simple message of hope that we could send.

Friday 27th of August Lynda Smith and I (ground support crew) had the great pleasure to spend an evening with two members of the 7 person crew who sailed to Nauru in order to highlight the plight of refugees held there indefinitely.

The evening was an amazing close gathering of friends who reflected on the events that unfolded during the journey both on the high seas and in the control centres here in Australia providing backup and support.

Reflecting on the events revealed exactly what had been achieved, many people’s hard work had brought the plight of those unfairly detained on Nauru to the media’s attention and ultimately the world. While migration agents and other advocates kept up the pressure the Flotillas of Hope added to this effort and made it impossible to ignore the absurdity of the indefinite incarceration of asylum seekers.

Even before any of the crew of the Flotillas of Hope had return to Australia 119 asylum seekers had been rushed back to the mainland of Australia with the potential of starting a new life free of persecution in their homelands and the systemic abuse by the current Australian government.

One has to laugh or cry even to Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard’s statement that we will decide who comes here and how they arrive. Through the pressure of advocates around the country and the world more and more people are now realising that as signatories to the Geneva Conventions for Refugees it makes the denial of protection to refugees not only absurd, immoral and wrong but a clear breach of our international obligations.

For me, seeing our friends, Steve Georgopoulos and Ruth Boydell was a deeply touching and spiritual moment. These brave souls, the connection that we share and the pride of their achievement will be one of the most memorable moments in my life.

From the words of Mr John Valder, former Australian Liberal Party president, let’s never allow this country to again use hatred, scare mongering and lies about asylum seekers for political cannon fodder, let’s never allow our governments to scare us and use the vilification of desperate people to win votes. And let’s not forget despite Liberal party members such as former Hindmarsh (South Australia) candidate Chris Gallus MP that even through Australia invaded Iraq as part of the coalition of the willing using the excuse of human rights and the tyranny of Saddam Hussein that Australia still detains many of his victims.

And finally let’s not forget that "The denial of rights to anyone is the denial of humanity to all", If I am unwilling or unable to protect the freedoms of others how can I possibly expect others to protect my freedoms. Who will come to our aid when we are next in line for persecution, vilification and the denial of humanity?

Australia and the world should be proud that people such as the crew of the Flotillas of Hope and all the people that supported them exist, it gives me great hope that small voices such as ours can make a difference.