The Tampa affair remains one of the most explosive events in Australian history. It continues to reverberate not only through our politics, but around the globe, marking a turning point in attitudes towards refugees in the UK, Europe and the US. To mark the 25th anniversary of the dramatic standoff that triggered an international crisis, Sarah Ferguson uncovers the minute-by-minute story of a crisis that revealed the best and worst of Australia. It’s a story of espionage, subterfuge and brutal politics, all played out against the background of an intensely fought election campaign by John Howard. Those 433 desperate refugees on a leaky boat were seeking asylum, but they unwittingly ignited a firestorm that changed the nation, and the world.