The people behind the Aussie good life
Turning up on election day, having your name crossed off the roll and repairing to a booth to exercise your democratic right ahead of nabbing a democracy sausage comes about as the result of an elaborate process overseen by the Australian Election Commission.
And despite Australia's compulsory voting, our system is the subject of much envy the world over.
And there's none more deserving of one of a King's Birthday honour this year than former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers, who has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration and leadership and administration of Australia's democratic electoral system.
As commissioner for a decade, Mr Rogers led the agency to successfully deliver the 2016, 2019 and 2022 federal elections, numerous by-elections and boundary redistributions in every Australian state and territory.
He also led the AEC in 2023 to deliver the Indigenous Voice referendum, the first referendum held in Australia in nearly a quarter of a century.
Most Australians are blissfully unaware that much of the system we take for granted comes down to a dedicated team of distinguished public servants, but this fact, in and of itself, is one to emulate.
"Running the election, it is Australia's largest peacetime logistic operation," Mr Rogers said last week.
"If you think about it, 105,000 workers, 8000 polling places, it's like setting up a Fortune 500 company in five weeks and then disassembling it a couple of weeks after the event."
And with talk of stolen elections in the United States and elsewhere, Mr Rogers didn't mind that Australians just expected their electoral system to work.
"We used to have this thing called the 'Electoral Commission's dilemma' - which was the easier we make it look, the easier people think it is," he said.
"I've had different comments over the years, from people I know pretty well, along the lines of 'You're so lucky, sweet job, it must be nice to work every three years, then it's pina coladas and away you go' and maybe that's okay.
"Australians love their electoral system, they trust the AEC greatly, and maybe that's a good thing, that it's seen as unremarkable."
And that's the thing about the King's Birthday honours - they're a chance to shine a light on the things that make our ordinary and everyday lives easy, or straightforward, or successful.
Mr Rogers is in distinguished company this year, with the likes of broadcaster Phillip Adams, who was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to the media, the arts, cultural leadership and the community, alongside husband-and-wife creative powerhouse Baz Lurhmann and Catherine Martin, for eminent service to the arts. Former prime minister Scott Morrison has been appointed AC, routine postnominals for former holders of the nation's top office, but an honour that will not pass without some criticism.
Former model and television host Deborah Hutton, who had two skin cancers removed from her face and advocated for sun safety, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to community health and to media.
There are many extraordinary people living throughout our communities, and the King's Birthday is an opportunity to reflect on how lucky we are to live in such a diverse country.
Much like elections, a rich and varied life doesn't happen automatically, or without effort.
Despite their seeming ubiquity in Australian life, elections don't just happen.
Turning up on election day, having your name crossed off the roll and repairing to a booth to exercise your democratic right ahead of nabbing a democracy sausage comes about as the result of an elaborate process overseen by the Australian Election Commission.
And despite Australia's compulsory voting, our system is the subject of much envy the world over.
And there's none more deserving of one of a King's Birthday honour this year than former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers, who has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration and leadership and administration of Australia's democratic electoral system.
As commissioner for a decade, Mr Rogers led the agency to successfully deliver the 2016, 2019 and 2022 federal elections, numerous by-elections and boundary redistributions in every Australian state and territory.
He also led the AEC in 2023 to deliver the Indigenous Voice referendum, the first referendum held in Australia in nearly a quarter of a century.
Most Australians are blissfully unaware that much of the system we take for granted comes down to a dedicated team of distinguished public servants, but this fact, in and of itself, is one to emulate.
"Running the election, it is Australia's largest peacetime logistic operation," Mr Rogers said last week.
"If you think about it, 105,000 workers, 8000 polling places, it's like setting up a Fortune 500 company in five weeks and then disassembling it a couple of weeks after the event."
And with talk of stolen elections in the United States and elsewhere, Mr Rogers didn't mind that Australians just expected their electoral system to work.
"We used to have this thing called the 'Electoral Commission's dilemma' - which was the easier we make it look, the easier people think it is," he said.
"I've had different comments over the years, from people I know pretty well, along the lines of 'You're so lucky, sweet job, it must be nice to work every three years, then it's pina coladas and away you go' and maybe that's okay.
"Australians love their electoral system, they trust the AEC greatly, and maybe that's a good thing, that it's seen as unremarkable."
And that's the thing about the King's Birthday honours - they're a chance to shine a light on the things that make our ordinary and everyday lives easy, or straightforward, or successful.
Mr Rogers is in distinguished company this year, with the likes of broadcaster Phillip Adams, who was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to the media, the arts, cultural leadership and the community, alongside husband-and-wife creative powerhouse Baz Lurhmann and Catherine Martin, for eminent service to the arts. Former prime minister Scott Morrison has been appointed AC, routine postnominals for former holders of the nation's top office, but an honour that will not pass without some criticism.
Former model and television host Deborah Hutton, who had two skin cancers removed from her face and advocated for sun safety, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to community health and to media.
There are many extraordinary people living throughout our communities, and the King's Birthday is an opportunity to reflect on how lucky we are to live in such a diverse country.
Much like elections, a rich and varied life doesn't happen automatically, or without effort.
Despite their seeming ubiquity in Australian life, elections don't just happen.
Turning up on election day, having your name crossed off the roll and repairing to a booth to exercise your democratic right ahead of nabbing a democracy sausage comes about as the result of an elaborate process overseen by the Australian Election Commission.
And despite Australia's compulsory voting, our system is the subject of much envy the world over.
And there's none more deserving of one of a King's Birthday honour this year than former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers, who has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration and leadership and administration of Australia's democratic electoral system.
As commissioner for a decade, Mr Rogers led the agency to successfully deliver the 2016, 2019 and 2022 federal elections, numerous by-elections and boundary redistributions in every Australian state and territory.
He also led the AEC in 2023 to deliver the Indigenous Voice referendum, the first referendum held in Australia in nearly a quarter of a century.
Most Australians are blissfully unaware that much of the system we take for granted comes down to a dedicated team of distinguished public servants, but this fact, in and of itself, is one to emulate.
"Running the election, it is Australia's largest peacetime logistic operation," Mr Rogers said last week.
"If you think about it, 105,000 workers, 8000 polling places, it's like setting up a Fortune 500 company in five weeks and then disassembling it a couple of weeks after the event."
And with talk of stolen elections in the United States and elsewhere, Mr Rogers didn't mind that Australians just expected their electoral system to work.
"We used to have this thing called the 'Electoral Commission's dilemma' - which was the easier we make it look, the easier people think it is," he said.
"I've had different comments over the years, from people I know pretty well, along the lines of 'You're so lucky, sweet job, it must be nice to work every three years, then it's pina coladas and away you go' and maybe that's okay.
"Australians love their electoral system, they trust the AEC greatly, and maybe that's a good thing, that it's seen as unremarkable."
And that's the thing about the King's Birthday honours - they're a chance to shine a light on the things that make our ordinary and everyday lives easy, or straightforward, or successful.
Mr Rogers is in distinguished company this year, with the likes of broadcaster Phillip Adams, who was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to the media, the arts, cultural leadership and the community, alongside husband-and-wife creative powerhouse Baz Lurhmann and Catherine Martin, for eminent service to the arts. Former prime minister Scott Morrison has been appointed AC, routine postnominals for former holders of the nation's top office, but an honour that will not pass without some criticism.
Former model and television host Deborah Hutton, who had two skin cancers removed from her face and advocated for sun safety, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to community health and to media.
There are many extraordinary people living throughout our communities, and the King's Birthday is an opportunity to reflect on how lucky we are to live in such a diverse country.
Much like elections, a rich and varied life doesn't happen automatically, or without effort.
Despite their seeming ubiquity in Australian life, elections don't just happen.
Turning up on election day, having your name crossed off the roll and repairing to a booth to exercise your democratic right ahead of nabbing a democracy sausage comes about as the result of an elaborate process overseen by the Australian Election Commission.
And despite Australia's compulsory voting, our system is the subject of much envy the world over.
And there's none more deserving of one of a King's Birthday honour this year than former Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers, who has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to public administration and leadership and administration of Australia's democratic electoral system.
As commissioner for a decade, Mr Rogers led the agency to successfully deliver the 2016, 2019 and 2022 federal elections, numerous by-elections and boundary redistributions in every Australian state and territory.
He also led the AEC in 2023 to deliver the Indigenous Voice referendum, the first referendum held in Australia in nearly a quarter of a century.
Most Australians are blissfully unaware that much of the system we take for granted comes down to a dedicated team of distinguished public servants, but this fact, in and of itself, is one to emulate.
"Running the election, it is Australia's largest peacetime logistic operation," Mr Rogers said last week.
"If you think about it, 105,000 workers, 8000 polling places, it's like setting up a Fortune 500 company in five weeks and then disassembling it a couple of weeks after the event."
And with talk of stolen elections in the United States and elsewhere, Mr Rogers didn't mind that Australians just expected their electoral system to work.
"We used to have this thing called the 'Electoral Commission's dilemma' - which was the easier we make it look, the easier people think it is," he said.
"I've had different comments over the years, from people I know pretty well, along the lines of 'You're so lucky, sweet job, it must be nice to work every three years, then it's pina coladas and away you go' and maybe that's okay.
"Australians love their electoral system, they trust the AEC greatly, and maybe that's a good thing, that it's seen as unremarkable."
And that's the thing about the King's Birthday honours - they're a chance to shine a light on the things that make our ordinary and everyday lives easy, or straightforward, or successful.
Mr Rogers is in distinguished company this year, with the likes of broadcaster Phillip Adams, who was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for his services to the media, the arts, cultural leadership and the community, alongside husband-and-wife creative powerhouse Baz Lurhmann and Catherine Martin, for eminent service to the arts. Former prime minister Scott Morrison has been appointed AC, routine postnominals for former holders of the nation's top office, but an honour that will not pass without some criticism.
Former model and television host Deborah Hutton, who had two skin cancers removed from her face and advocated for sun safety, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to community health and to media.
There are many extraordinary people living throughout our communities, and the King's Birthday is an opportunity to reflect on how lucky we are to live in such a diverse country.
Much like elections, a rich and varied life doesn't happen automatically, or without effort.
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9 News
an hour ago
- 9 News
Aussies told to avoid more parts of Thailand as locals flee fighting along border
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Australians are being warned to avoid more parts of holiday hotspot Thailand , as conflict with neighbouring Cambodia increases. More areas have been added to the list of places Aussies should "reconsider" going to, as tens of thousands of local people sought refuge as border fighting entered a second day, heightening fears of an extended conflict. "Armed conflict between Thai and Cambodian forces along the Thai-Cambodian border has increased," Smartraveller says. Thai residents evacuate from their homes following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) "We now advise reconsider your need to travel to eight districts in the Chanthaburi and Trat provinces. Martial law has been declared in these areas." Chanthaburi is a town on the Chanthaburi River famous for growing durian. Trat is Thailand's eastern-most province, about 315km from Bangkok. Earlier warnings were made against going to the areas of Buriram, Si Saket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces along the Cambodia border. Smartraveller also warned Australians to reconsider their need to travel to the Cambodian border provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey. The Cambodian provinces are just north of Siem Reap, a historic city globally famous for stunning temples such as Angkor Wat. Smartraveller reports military strikes, violence and landmines and says there have been casualties. Border crossings in the area are closed. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors on Friday in New York, while Malaysia, which chairs the 10-nation regional bloc that includes both countries, called for an end to hostilities and offered to mediate. A Thai resident prepares to evacuate from home following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) The council did not issue a statement but a council diplomat said all 15 members called on the parties to deescalate, show restraint and resolve the dispute peacefully. The council also urged the regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as ASEAN, to help resolve the border fighting, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. Cambodia's UN Ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters afterward that his country, which called for the emergency meeting, "asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution to the dispute." He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand asking how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size, stressing, "We do not do that." Keo said the Security Council called for both sides to exercise "maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic solution" which is what Cambodia is calling for as well. Cambodians who fled their villages take refuge in Wat Tham Kambar in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Friday, July 25, 2025, as Thai and Cambodian soldiers have clashed along the border between their countries in a major escalation. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (AP) Asked what he expects next, the ambassador said: "Let's see how the call can be heard by all the members there." Thailand's UN ambassador left the meeting without stopping to talk to reporters. The Thai Health Ministry said more than 58,000 have fled from villages to temporary shelters in four affected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border. The latest flare-up in a long-running border dispute between the two countries has killed at least 19 people in Thailand — mostly civilians —while Cambodia confirmed its first fatality on Friday. Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said on Friday that Cambodia may be guilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians and damage caused to a hospital. He said Thailand had exercised the "utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression" from Cambodia. Tensions over a disputed border area erupted into fighting after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. Thai forces examine a landmine near the Cambodian border. (AP) The Thai military reported clashes early on Friday in multiple areas along the border, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both sides. Associated Press reporters near the border could hear sounds of artillery from early morning hours. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officials described as "appropriate supporting fire" in return. Thailand said six of its soldiers and 13 civilians were killed, including children, while 29 soldiers and 30 civilians were wounded. Cambodia's chief official in Oddar Meanchey province, Gen. Khov Ly, said a man died Thursday after a Thai rocket hit a Buddhist pagoda where he was hiding. At least four civilians in the province were also wounded on Thursday. The Cambodian Education Ministry claimed that on Friday two Thai rockets had hit a school compound in Oddar Meanchey but caused no injuries. It said all schools in the province have been closed. The Thai army denied it targeted civilian sites in Cambodia, and accused Cambodia of using "human shields" by positioning their weapons near residential areas. Thai people who fled clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers take shelter in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, Thursday, July 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunny Chittawil) (AP Photo/Sunny Chittawil) As the fighting intensified, villagers on both sides have been caught in the crossfire, leading many to flee. Around 600 people took shelter at a gymnasium in a university in Surin, Thailand, about 80 kilometres from the border. Evacuees sat in groups, on mats and blankets, and queued for food and drinks. Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai was accompanied by four cats in two fabric carriers. She said she was doing laundry at her home near Ta Muen Thom temple when shelling began on Thursday. "I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared," she recalled. Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, said she had also lived through the 2011 clashes between the two countries but described this flare-up as worse. "Children, old people, were hit out of the blue," she said. "I never imagined it would be this violent." At the nearby Phanom Dong Rak hospital, periodic explosions could be heard on Friday, and a military truck arrived with three injured Thai soldiers, including one who had both legs severed. Thursday's shelling shattered windows at one of the hospital's buildings and damaged its roof. In the neighboring Sisaket province, more villagers took their belongings and left homes in a stream of cars, trucks and motorbikes after they received an evacuation order on Friday. Across the border in Cambodia, villages on the outskirts of Oddar Meanchey province were largely deserted. Homes stood locked, while chickens and dogs roamed outside. Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. A remote Buddhist temple surrounded by rice fields accommodated several hundred evacuated villagers. Women rested in hammocks, some cradling babies, while children ran about. Makeshift plastic tents were being set up under the trees. Veng Chin, 74, pleaded with both governments to negotiate a settlement "so that I can return to my home and work on the farm." A convenience store at a gas station is damaged after Cambodia fired artillery shells in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) The conflict marks a rare instance of armed confrontation between ASEAN member countries though Thailand has tangled with Cambodia before over the border and has had sporadic skirmishes with western neighbour Myanmar. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Friday that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw their troops from the border, but requested more time before implementing the action, according to a report by Malaysia's Bernama national news agency. Anwar said he had spoken to both Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thailand's Phumtham and urged them to open space for "peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution," while offering to have Malaysia facilitate talks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for restraint and urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue, according to U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. It's the latest flareup in longstanding border tensions The 800-kilometre frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The last major flare-up in 2011 left 20 dead. The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Things got worse when a land mine wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday, leading Bangkok to close the border and expel the Cambodian ambassador. The next day, clashes broke out along the border. Thailand Cambodia World conflict Travel CONTACT US
Sky News AU
5 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Ken Henry says tax system is failing young Australians and warns the case for lifting tax-to-GDP ratio is now ‘much, much stronger'
Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has urged Australia to 'prepare ourselves for the worst,' cautioning that while he hopes the government can avoid lifting the nation's tax-to-GDP ratio, the argument for doing so is now 'much, much stronger'. Mr Henry made the comments at a tax reform roundtable hosted by independent MP Allegra Spender on Friday, where he outlined the need to reduce reliance on income tax and flagged concerns about the growing economic burden on younger Australians. 'Tax reform packages must be revenue neutral, and I suggest that we should be thinking about designing the tax system that would do least economic damage as we lift the revenue-to-GDP ratio over time,' Mr Henry said. 'I can understand that some people don't want to quantitate that prospect, but we've been aware of the need to avoid that prospect for 23 years since the first intergenerational report was published in 2002 and the case for having to lift the tax-to-GDP ratio is much, much stronger, but I still hope we can avoid it.' Mr Henry, who served as Treasury boss from 2001 to 2011, said the current tax mix was too heavily dependent on personal income tax and offered little fairness between generations. He argued the system should do more to support productivity growth, warning that bracket creep – where inflation pushes workers into higher tax brackets – placed disproportionate pressure on the young. 'We need to reduce reliance on bracket creep,' he said, adding that boosting productivity was essential for raising wages and lifting national revenue without further tax hikes. Mr Henry also didn't shy away from politically sensitive areas, calling for reforms that could improve housing affordability. He said the government should be open to examining negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions for property investors. 'Anything that makes housing more affordable,' he said, should be on the table. In a stark assessment of Australia's preparedness for a changing global economy, Mr Henry said the tax system was no longer suited to today's challenges. 'The current tax system is not fit for today's increasingly dangerous times,' he said. 'I used the word dangerous quite deliberately.' He also raised concerns about high corporate tax rates deterring overseas investment, while suggesting that politically favoured sectors were under-taxed. Ms Spender, the Member for Wentworth, echoed Mr Henry's concerns and said younger Australians were bearing the brunt of a tax system stacked against them. 'We have a tax system that taxes people most heavily when they are young and under most financial pressure – paying off student loans, trying to buy a house, starting families, paying childcare – and less when they can afford it,' she said. 'Young people are the group that can least afford it.' Speaking ahead of the roundtable, Ms Spender said her goal was to make tax reform more relatable to the broader public, even if that meant stepping outside her comfort zone. 'We're actually doing lifestreaming on YouTube. I've been doing some slightly cringe-worthy Instagram videos on tax reform recently, just trying to bring more people into this conversation,' she said on ABC Radio National. 'Because tax matters to all people, it influences our country, but it's sometimes pretty hard to get your head round and I do want people to be able to get informed.' Ms Spender said Friday's discussion was part of a broader push, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers set to convene his own tax roundtables in the coming weeks. 'The Treasurer has now opened the door to tax reform,' she said. 'I feel that tax reform has the opportunity to help Australia solve some of its biggest problems like sluggish productivity growth, like the fact that young people can't get ahead, like the fact that we need to make this climate transition as cheap as possible. 'But to be honest tax hasn't really been on the table until now.' Treasurer Jim Chalmers has welcomed Ms Spender's initiative, saying he would 'obviously listen to and respect the views put forward'.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The wealthy have been shielded from Britain's big problem
London: Fury swept across Britain's social media five days ago when residents of a wealthy part of London heard of government plans to move hundreds of asylum seekers into a hotel in their neighbourhood. Within hours, activists were posting videos from outside the hotel to call on politicians to send the outsiders away. The hotel in Canary Wharf, where luxury apartments tower over old docklands, was soon surrounded by protesters and police – turning it into the latest flashpoint in Britain's ferocious argument about refugees and migration. 'I can now confirm that the Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf has been handed over for use by asylum seekers and refugees,' posted Lee Nallalingham, a resident of Tower Hamlets, the council area that includes Canary Wharf, in London's east. 'That hotel is a five-minute walk from my daughter's nursery. It's surrounded by other nurseries and primary schools. And yet nobody asked local parents what we thought. Why are they being placed in one of the most expensive areas of London, next to schools, while locals can't get housing, safety, or basic services? 'Where's the consultation? Where's the protection for local families? Once again – no answers. Just secrecy and silence.' There was just one problem. Nallalingham wrongly asserted that people were being moved to Canary Wharf from an asylum seeker hotel in the town of Epping Forest, the scene of riots on Sunday night when protesters hurled flares, eggs and rocks at police. This was inflammatory because of the fury over the hotel in Epping, just outside London. But it was not true. Nallalingham was not caught up in the details. He is the chairman of the Reform UK branch in the Tower Hamlets area and was spreading the word for a purpose. Reform UK, the party led by right-wing politician Nigel Farage, is making big gains by tapping into grievances over the economy, gender politics, migration and refugees. So the outrage over asylum hotels is turning into another powerful campaign for Farage and Reform – and a disaster for Labour Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who once promised to shut them down. The Australian parallels are inescapable when Farage uses a simple rallying cry – 'stop the boats' – to build support. Another Reform UK politician, Lee Anderson, stood outside the Canary Wharf hotel to do a video for the X social media site about the imminent arrival of asylum seekers. Farage reposted this to his 2.2 million followers. The message helped to foment a street protest within hours. So what was really happening? Yes, the hotel was being prepared to house asylum seekers. No, they were not coming from Epping Forest. The British department charged with border security, the Home Office, made it clear there were no asylum seekers actually in the Canary Wharf hotel while the protesters stood outside. But it confirmed it had reserved more than 400 beds at the hotel to prepare for further asylum seeker arrivals in the weeks ahead. And the deeper truth? Britain is struggling with the weekly arrival of people on inflatable boats who cross the English Channel in the hope of gaining refugee status and finding work in a wealthy country. There were 60 people last Sunday, for instance, and 132 on Wednesday. On some days, there are none. Over the first six months of this year there were 19,982, according to a tally by Reuters based on public data. That was a 50 per cent increase from the same period last year. Starmer blames the previous government for the problem – with good cause, given the Conservatives ruled from 2010 to 2024 without stopping the boats. But Starmer has been in power for a full year. There are no signs that his policies are slowing the arrivals. The wealthy have been mostly shielded from this reality, especially in the finer neighbourhoods of London. Those on the lower rungs of the British class structure, however, have seen it up close when the asylum seekers are housed in their communities. With no end to the arrivals, more hotels are set up – and wealthier neighbourhoods like Canary Wharf take notice. At the same time, the community depends on migrants for essential services: cleaning the London Underground, staffing the supermarket, delivering food, serving at the takeaway. Citizens turn against migrants at the very moment they seem to rely on them more than ever. Inflammatory rhetoric fuels the discontent. Laila Cunningham, a Reform UK councillor on Westminster City Council in the heart of London, berated Labour and the Tories on Wednesday for losing control of the border. 'The Tories let in 6.5 million people over 14 years,' she said. The result, she added: 'Waves of unvetted young men, many of whom do not share our values and show no respect for British women.' Cunningham appeared to be exaggerating. The Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford has tracked the annual intake, based on public data, and its chart shows net migration of about 5 million from June 2012 to June 2024. Even so, the inflow has been running ahead of what the community wants. Public polling highlights the concern. The Migration Observatory reported results from 2023 showing that 52 per cent of British adults want migration to be reduced, while 14 per cent want it increased. Another 22 per cent want it to stay the same, while the remainder were undecided. The concern is not new because objections to migration helped shape the referendum in favour of Brexit. What has changed is the sense of urgency some voters feel about the challenge. In June 2016, when the voting public chose Brexit, 48 per cent of respondents said migration was an important issue. It fell away for years in public polling, but now it's back. It climbed to 38 per cent last October. Starmer is feeling the pressure to find a fix. 'We will stop at nothing to tackle illegal migration,' he said on Wednesday. In fact, there is a shortage of ideas to discourage the arrivals. Australia sent asylum seekers to remote islands and turned boats around in the Indian Ocean. The UK has not copied the Australian approach in the narrow confines of the English Channel, so it has to devise its own solution. The asylum hotels are part of a broader 'dispersal' policy for asylum seekers to spread them across the country. There were 38,000 asylum seekers in hotels at the end of last year, with another 65,000 in 'dispersal' housing such as private flats or hostels run by companies for the government. This is very different to the Australian policy, with so much attention on Manus Island and Nauru. In Britain, the experience is intensely local. The Epping Forest riots took place after the community reacted to an incident between an asylum seeker and a local girl. The man, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, from Ethiopia, was charged with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment without violence. He denied all the offences when he appeared in court on July 10. Another case led to a conviction five days ago. Moffat Konofilia, 48, an asylum seeker from Solomon Islands, approached a girl, 17, on the beach at Weymouth in southern England in December 2023. A magistrate found him guilty of one count of sexual assault. When these cases make headlines, the community reacts. And Farage can turn that reaction into a mushroom cloud. Starmer and his ministers are trying to find new ways to slow the arrivals. They have a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron to return some people to France. They have announced sanctions on those in the asylum seeker trade. Individuals face financial sanctions, and the Chinese company that advertises its inflatable boats to people smugglers will be banned from doing business in the UK. Loading The riots over the past week have put a public face on the immense strain on Britain. It is an angry face, sometimes covered in a balaclava, unleashing rage at those in authority. The rioters do not speak for Britain because the data shows that many people want mercy shown to those who cross the Channel. But the public mood has turned against welcoming asylum seekers. Times are tough for many communities, and voters have reason to feel aggrieved. Every asylum seeker arrival can add to the sense that the system is broken. Every crime can add to the pressure. Even a tweet might set off a riot.
