As the city demonstrates the warmth of its embrace of multiculturalism – and enjoys delicious food – some people will turn their attention to asking the broader question: is there a better way on refugee policy?

The current focus of this debate is the refusal of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to back down from plans to return 267 asylum seekers and refugees, including about 90 children, to Nauru.

How does this sit with our aspirations as a civilised country? And how do we rationalise the situation where a royal commission is investigating historical child abuse by institutions, but there are many current allegations of child abuse in detention camps?

The majority public opinion backs mandatory detention in offshore camps but there appears to be change. It remains to be seen whether the current spike in awareness over the likely deportation of babies to Nauru will galvanise any lasting change in the court of public opinion. This week a former employee at the Nauru detention camp said single adult men lived in tents that were hot, overcrowded, mouldy and infested with mice. Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs said on Tuesday detainees lived in constant fear of being physically and sexually assaulted, particularly outside the centre.

Immigration Department chief Michael Pezzullo says some of the asylum seekers waiting to be flown back to Nauru are suffering from cancer and terminal illness but he warns about "moral lecturing" by those who fail to comprehend the consequences of softening Australia's tough border protection regime. The group largely comprises people who came to Australia for medical treatment, and their families. Mr Pezzullo says his department will take advice from doctors on when to return the group and that some would be leaving "within days". Everyone would "go back in due course" if there was no reason to keep them in Australia, he says

Australia is in no danger of being overrun by refugees from countries where we've participated in bombing. Nevertheless, radio shock jocks are able to whip up hysteria about that possibility. These influential commentators – and some government figures – refer to "illegal" migrants, glossing over the fact that it is not illegal to seek asylum in another country.

What the loud mouths don't bother to mention is the false economy in maintaining maritime patrols and running offshore detention camps. How is it morally defensible to keep people on Nauru, even when the camps are "open"?

Nevertheless, no one is seriously suggesting opening the flood gates and witnessing new waves of boats and, most likely, mass drownings. As has been discussed, endlessly, if there was an easy answer to this imbroglio, it would have been found and enacted.

A former federal Labor government instituted mandatory detention but it was John Howard, reading the polls, who sensed a shift in the national psyche and ramped up the anti-boat people rhetoric. And he stopped the boats. Unfortunately, the proposal to process asylum seekers in United Nations' supervised camps in Indonesia and Malaysia, as a way of avoiding the dangerous ocean journey, has not been successful.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr is one of five state and territory leaders offering to take in the group who face being sent back to Nauru after a High Court ruling last week upholding the legality of the government's offshore processing regime. However, this offer is unlikely to become a reality unless the federal government changes policy to allow the group to apply for temporary protection visas.

Churches around the country took the extraordinary step of offering sanctuary to the asylum seekers facing deportation. The asylum seekers do not have the freedom of movement to take up this offer, which invokes an ancient Christian tradition. As well, the irony of the situation is that any church leaders who were somehow successful in accommodating asylum seekers could face criminal sanctions.

All eyes are now on Mr Turnbull to gauge if he is prepared to show compassion and leadership on this tricky issue. Perhaps a short drive from The Lodge to the multicultural festival would be useful.