The series director of Go Back To Where You Came From has said the show wasn't aimed at changing the government's asylum policy.
Ivan O'Mahoney said he was aware the groundbreaking 'refugee reality show' had been compared to an ABC expose of the horrific abuse of live cattle exported to Indonesia, the reaction to which caused the government to suspend all exports.
However, he said Go Back To Where You Came From hoped only to wrest the debate from politicians and put it back in the hands of the people.
The show extended its already-international reach after its third episode, with a BBC review in addition to its appearance in the New York Times.
It also had a profound effect on viewers, who tweeted or posted messages in droves asking how they could help refugees.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"If anything this series brought home to me how disconnected I am in my own little world. I am angry, frustrated and a little ashamed that I have not done more to try and connect with newly settled refugees. SBS, I would love to see this series followed up with another along the lines of "What can I do to make a difference". I want to help! So thanks for the kick up the bum that has made me start looking at what I can do!" posted Janine Rodwell on the SBS website.
UNICEF answered on Twitter, advising followers to write to their local MP and demand a change in asylum policy if they wanted to help.
DEBATE RAGES ON
Almost a full day after the final episode aired (on Thursday, June 23), the discussion continued online, branching off in distinctly different directions.
In addition to the largely effusive response to the show, various contrary views emerged.
An article by Paul Sheehan in the Sydney Morning Herald slammed it for being manipulative and aimed at the gullible, and also suggested the refugee statistics quoted on it were wrong.
His piece drew a plethora of angry responses on Twitter, many of which accused Sheehan of heartlessness, and there were counter-posts by bloggers.
One of the participants, Darren Hassan, joined the debate in the blogosphere.
Those who responded on the article itself were polarised.
"It's quite simple - you don't make government policy based on emotions, you implement what works. If stopping people smuggling via boats is the objective, then the policies need to deter the market for this illegal business," posted Act Rationally.
"Gullible maybe Paul, but not blind. These people live in appalling conditions, in some cases for decades, and on this point the camera didn't lie," countered a user posting as Damian, from Hobart.
Another poster couldn't wait for the show to end:
"Propaganda and manipulation indeed and Dr Corlett comes over so holier than thou.......an exercise in collective guilt from a patronising ideologue. Only one more night to go," posted 'Mayday', from Sydney.
However the debate moved wider afield than the show's merits or failings.
IMMIGRATION
"We cannot change anything for a whole nation! We cannot accept everyone otherwise we will become them - poor, at war, etc...We should help them in their own country NOT HERE. We have too many people already," posted Sally, from Perth, on the SBS website.
"We must not lose control of our Immigration policies, otherwise us Australians could find in the future that we have become refugees, driven out by the very immigrants that we helped," posted 'radical53' from Surry Hills.
"It begs the question, why is it the group were free to film inside the Malaysian compound, Congo and Jordan but not in Australia . Why?" asked Kathryn from Darwin.
"So happy to see how much attn has been drawn to asylum seekers but sad to see Malaysia 'thing' NOT a solution, still looks to go ahead," tweeted @IzzyWizzy07.
INDIGENOUS
Various posters raised the indigenous angle of the debate.
"It's only luck where you are born and if you want to send them back to where they came from get a ticket yourself and leave this country to its original owners," posted Theo Lynch.
"The irony is that the forefathers of the majority of political leaders and law-makers in this country all arrived by boat, most of them criminals... Wake up Australia.. The Aborigines didn't round them up and put the white man in refugee camps.. Arrogance and narrow-mindedness is an Australian trait NOT to be proud of," wrote Dom LoPreiato of Moonee Ponds.
Racism comes in all colours - take a look at today's world. WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN - I AM ABORIGINAL," wrote 'Thomas7a' of Queensland.
ACCEPTANCE
"I was impressed with the changes in Raquel over the course of the program. I felt that my attitudes towards bogan Sydney westies was challenged as much by the changes in her, as she had been challenged by getting to know some Africans in dire circumstances," posted John from Sydney.
... To label someone who is concerned about his/her own culture selfish, racist or a bogan is an outright attack, why do you middle class trendy lefties think you can yell down anyone who differs politically? The working class (bogans) are practical-minded people who may often be poor, but love freedom, tradition, and stability," posted Philip, from Newtown.
Pietro from Hobart looked deeper into the crux of the issue:
"Every human being has the right to live in any part of the world that they choose. The pursuit of life over death is fundamental to our existence as human beings and whenever life is threatened, people have the right to seek refuge in safer places," he posted.
