Craig Foster’s brutal letter to Australia’s leaders

Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster has written a brutal letter to Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten, saying Australia has gone “too far”.

Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster has written an eloquent but brutal letter to Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten, revealing Australia’s asylum seeker policies undermined his efforts to win Hakeem Al-Araibi’s freedom.

Mr Foster worked tirelessly, with the government’s help, to secure Mr Al-Araibi’s release from Thailand earlier this month.

The young footballer was wrongfully arrested when he arrived in the country for his honeymoon, and his native Bahrain pushed Thailand to extradite him, even though he had been granted asylum in Australia.

Mr Foster led the international campaign to free him, and Australia put diplomatic pressure on Thailand’s government. Mr Morrison wrote two letters to the Thai prime minister.

Mr Al-Araibi arrived back in Australia last week and visited Parliament House, where he met both major party leaders.

Craig Foster, Foreign Minister Marise Payne, footballer and refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi, and Scott Morrison in the PM’s office. Picture: AAP

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten meeting Hakeem Al-Araibi at a friendly football match to welcome him to parliament. Picture: Kym Smith

Mr Foster started his letter, which was published in the Sydney Morning Herald today, by thanking Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten for their support.

He said their warm welcome for Mr Al-Araibi in Canberra was a “powerful moment”.

Then it was down to business.

Mr Foster reminded Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten that his great friend, the beloved broadcaster Les Murray, had also come to Australia as a refugee.

“We are all just a different passport away from standing in their place,” Mr Foster wrote.

“I could have been Les or Hakeem, and so could have you. While we work to ensure a prosperous and safe future for all Australians, we should never forget this.”

He said Mr Al-Araibi was nervous about meeting Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten, but he reassured him that “everyone is equal” in Australia.

“Australians do not revere position or title, rather we judge the person by their actions. And so too are nations judged,” Mr Foster wrote.

“I have waited until after Hakeem was safely home to explain that one of the reasons it was so difficult to garner international support was because of our own treatment of refugees. This was a constant theme throughout discussions with international stakeholders.

“Nor was it lost on any of us fighting so hard against two governments and monarchies, and in urging FIFA, the AFC and IOC to uphold their human rights obligations, that we are failing to uphold our own.”

Mr Foster at Bangkok's Criminal Court on February 4, where he was supporting Hakeem Al-Araibi. Picture: Getty

Former Australian football captain Craig Foster. Picture: AFP

Mr Foster said it “could not be right” that Australia was prepared to cause physical and psychological harm to asylum seekers as a deterrent to others.

“The fact that parliament faced such a considerable challenge to pass legislation simply to provide medical care to refugees, fellow human beings, shows that we have gone too far, strayed from our basic values of humanity,” he said.

“The policy of indefinite, offshore detention does not uphold our international obligations and we need to be strong enough to admit this and to find a fair and humane solution.”

The legislation Mr Foster referred to, which makes it easier for asylum seekers to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment, was passed last week against the government’s wishes.

The government has since indicated it intends to reopen the Christmas Island detention facility and send the transferred asylum seekers there — not to the mainland.

Both major parties continue to support offshore processing, boat turnbacks and other key policies designed to deter asylum seekers from boarding boats.

Hakeem Al-Araibi and Craig Foster arriving back in Australia. Picture: AAP

“The shared will to save Hakeem demonstrates that Australia is ready to have this discussion and to confront the image staring back at us in the mirror,” Mr Foster said.

“We are part of the broader, global family and should act accordingly, just as you and I demanded that other state and non-state actors do on Hakeem’s behalf.

“I am asking that you bring together the relevant people in the same spirit of humanity that saved a young man’s life to find a workable solution.

“One that gives every Australian an opportunity to say that we are not just a great multicultural and sporting nation, but a caring one.

“We all saved Hakeem, together, and it will be up to all of our national leaders, irrespective of who ultimately prevails in the forthcoming election, to ensure that we now save ourselves.”

The Prime Minister’s office declined to comment on Mr Foster’s letter.

News.com.au has also contacted the offices of Bill Shorten and Shadow Immigration Minister Shayne Neumann.