Here come the refugees
sailing across the seas
they're all crowded
on a little piece of tin
hoping to get in
to Australia
land of the free
a fair go
and democracy

but they're all in
for a big surprise
DETENTION
WITHOUT TRIAL!

Here come the refugees
fleeing brutality
torture rape and murder
things that we just can't imagine

they've given everything
to escape from a regime
that locks up people
just because
they dream about freedom

And what do we do
when they wash up
on our lucky country?

we lock them up as scapegoat's
in the concentration camps

In most other countries
potential refugees
can live in the community
while waiting on assessment

instead what happens here
we tease upon their fear
interrogation isolation
drug sedation torture

Sounds just like the hell
from which they fled to you and me
we lock them up as scapegoats
in a concentration camp

CHORUS

Mistaken refugees
thought that our country
was civilised enough
to treat them with humanity

oh but what do they find?
imprisoned without trial
United Nations can't come in
to check on human rights

Sounds just like the hell
from which they fled
to you and me

we lock them up as scapegoat's
in a concentration camp

Their basic rights denied
they go on hunger strike
we bash them up and tell ourselves they're just a pack of whingers

and we give money
to U.S. companies
who run the camps on a shoestring
to maximise their profits

And what do we do
when they wash up
on our lucky country?

we lock them up as scapegoat's
in the concentration camps

Here come the refugees
sailing across the seas
but Australia
is not what it seems
a land of hypocrisy?!?

we are all living one great big lie
with
DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL!