One presumes there aren’t too many readers of an art and design magazine such as We Heart who subscribe to right wing politics, so there won’t be too many complaints if we indulge in a bit of conservative-bashing. One of the most distasteful strategies being employed by the right at the moment is the painting of political and economic migrants as a major drain on national resources, rather than the largely positive contributors to society they are. The fact that boatloads of men, women and children are willing to drown in a bid to escape their humanitarian hell-holes should say it all, but the governments of countries such as the UK and Australia are doing their best to pull up the drawbridge on immigrants and appeal to the islands’ historically isolationist attitude.

Recently-formed Australian pressure group The Welcome Committee is having none of it. The not-for-profit organisation has just launched its first fundraising project to fight the Australian government’s policy on asylum seekers, and hopes that sales from its superb welcome mats will enable them to get the facts across to the country’s voters in the face of some pretty horrible scaremongering from Tony Abbott and his mob. According to The Welcome Committee, Australia spends an incredible AUS$2.5 billion per year on the mandatory detention of an estimated 10,000 asylum seekers — a situation the group has labelled “insane”. Roll out the welcome mat for immigrants and help get the message across by stopping by The Welcome Committee’s website, where you’ll also find some eye-opening information on Australia’s immigration policies.