As Australia welcomes its millionth refugee, its hardline border policies endure. We can lead by example again

Any day now, Australia will welcome its millionth refugee since the second world war.

This milestone, which the Refugee Council of Australia believes will happen by the end of this year, is a moment to mark the transformative contributions that refugees and their families have made to our society and economy over seven decades.

But Australia’s millionth refugee also arrives at a moment when the system to protect them is under immense strain and struggling for popular support.