“Their silence on this issue is deafening and one of the greatest evils we face in this nation is indifference,” Dr Glendenning said.

Dr Glendenning urged the packed CWA hall of concerned residents at a public meeting on Tuesday night to do all they can to spread the real story in Orange of the cost to the nation of maintaining the current exclusion policy particularly from a humanitarian perspective and in light of Australia’s poor standing in the international community.

He gave several graphic accounts of tragic individual cases that he has been involved in through the refugee council and the Edmund Rice Centre.

“These are crimes against humanity and if things don’t change in 20 years’ time people will be making apologies for the injustices and the treatment of our fellow man - just as is happening with the royal commission at the moment,” Dr Glendenning said.

In one graphic photograph taken during a visit to Afghanistan Dr Glendenning pointed out to the crowd a poster on the wall of a building from the Australian government warning people not to come to Australia by boat.

In the foreground of the photo were Afghanis carrying shattered bodies from the square after a bomb explosion.

“Our government has spent all these millions of dollars on this campaign and they just don’t get it - this campaign is useless,” he said.

“Last year Australia received up to 14,000 refugees who came in by plane but do you hear anyone saying ‘tow back the planes’,”.

Dr Glendenning says he believes the tide of public opinion will eventually change as Australians realise the amount of money being poured into keeping refugees from our borders is unsustainable.

“After all who would have thought 50 years ago Nelson Mandela would be out of jail and elected to lead his country, and Barack OBama would be the first African American president.”

Marie Kellaher who attended the meeting said she wants to see change now.

“Like many people I am absolutely ashamed at the way our country is treating refugees and the facts aren’t getting across to the community,” she said.

Member for Calare John Cobb who sent his apologies to the meeting said he could not attend as he was in Canberra for parliamentary sittings.

“However, as I always I am available to meet with members of the community to discuss any federal issues they may have,” he said.

Orange Social Justice group spokesman David Kennedy said he wants to see a letter writing campaign build momentum in Orange. “I think Australians have become hard hearted in the last decade and we need to take a good look at ourselves,” he said.