A refugee, who's successfully bid for a surfing lesson with Tony Abbott in a charity auction, says he hopes he'll listen to his story and that it'll 'make a difference.'
Riz Wakil fled Afghanistan in 1999 aged 18 amid fears over the Taliban, and travelled by boat from Indonesia. It was intercepted at Ashmore Reef and he spent nine months in the Curtin immigration detention centre under the Howard government.
He's now an Australian citizen and runs a printing business in Sydney.
“I would talk to him about his approach towards the asylum seekers, which I completely disagree with and which I strongly feel is inhuman and unjustifiable, indefinitely locking people away”, Wakil told SBS's World News Australia.
The coalition announced its new border protection policy late last month, which includes a promise to turn asylum seeker boats back wherever possible and reintroduce offshore processing.
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Donations paid for bid
Left-wing activist group GetUp pooled members' resources and donations to successfully bid for the surfing lesson and breakfast with the opposition leader on eBay, which cost $16,100.
"Both political parties have hardened their stance on refugees this election year," Communications Director Sam Mclean said.
"Mr Abbott's recent announcement would take us back to the very dark days of the Howard era of cruel immigration policy in terms of temporary protection visas."
But Wakil says he's excited about meeting the Liberal leader, “I strongly believe that he's a human being before he's a politican and before he's opposition leader. His heart beats like yours and mine, he has feelings and once I share my story, I strongly believe that it will make a difference.”
The surfing lesson is set to take place on Sydney's northern beaches. Five fellow refugees will join them afterwards for breakfast.
