The contrast was palpable as I recalled the terrible images we had watched earlier that morning.

Images of thousands of refugees pouring into all parts of Europe.

These were pictures of desperate people fleeing tyranny and death, fleeing Syria, Libya, Yemen.

The terrible tragedy of countries at war with themselves.

I looked at my children and grandchildren and thought ‘they would do just this if they had to, to protect their children’.

I am haunted by the image of little three year old Aylan Kurdi, his tiny body washed up on an empty beach in Turkey.  

I wonder which of his parents tied his shoelaces that morning.

His brother and mother were also dead.

His father returned to Syria to bury his family.

This is a photo to remind us – the privileged – of the fragility and vulnerability of human life.

A photo says a thousand words.

Both Conservative and Labour politicians at both state and federal level pleaded with our now past prime minister for a more compassionate approach, to open our doors and offer sanctuary.

 Thankfully Tony Abbott listened to those pleas, only days after refusing such moves, and consequently Australia is offering ‘rooms in the inn’ for a selection of those desperate displaced peoples in Europe.

We will offer safe refuge for 12,000 women, children and families in a generous gesture from our government, over and above the 13,750 we are already taking this year.

It is a minute proportion compared with the millions on the move around Europe but it is a start.

The government will also provide $44 million in financial aid for refugee agencies — in the form of food, supplies and cash — as people living in refugee camps prepare for the bitterly cold European winter ahead.

Remember though that we still have displaced refugees including children living with no hope behind barbed wire in refugee camps managed by Australia.

The plight of refugees in camps at Manus, Nauru and Christmas Islands is incredibly poignant.....Australia’s shame.

Once we had a proud tradition of welcoming people fleeing persecution and war.

Consider the migrants we welcomed after the Second World War from over 120 countries.

The Australian government is now sending planes to bomb parts of Syria.

This will simply create more refugees and Australia will be responsible for those Syrian deaths.

It appears we are giving with one hand while punishing with the other.

What a contradiction within the same government, bombs and aid, all in one package!

What are they thinking?

Let’s offer humanitarian aid, not more bombs.

When next you see these images, and they will be there for some months and years ahead, put yourself in the shoes of these refugees, scrambling to reach yet another country.

Europe is now generously absorbing thousands into their communities, and think of Australia, ‘the lucky country’.

Can’t we be less warrior-like and even more generous?