Monthly Wrap May 2024

In the media

Boat arrivals

Chinese nationals who reached the Kimberley coast by boat, and were labelled asylum seekers by the media, stated that they were seeking economic opportunity. At the time of their arrival, an ABC reporter provided an insight into local reaction to the situation.  

In detention

Sayed Abdellatif’s twelve years in immigration detention has ended after the Immigration Minister granted him a temporary protection visa. One of the people released after the High Court unlawful detention ruling is in custody on charges of a violent home invasion. Separately, another former immigration detainee was cleared of all sexual assault charges after the prosecution failed to provide any evidence in court.  The High Court has adjourned in the matter of ASF17, a case to clarify the lawfulness of ongoing detention where a person does not cooperate in the deportation process.

In the community

One of the people killed by the Bondi Junction attacker was a Pakistani refugee who was working his  first day shift as a security guard.

International

The UNHCR and the Asia Venture Philanthropy Network have partnered to create innovative financing programs to support initiatives that improve the lives of forcibly displaced people in the Asia-Pacific region. The EU Parliament approved the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, which mandates countries to cooperate on the reception and relocation of asylum seekers to reduce pressure on the southern states. The UK government passed legislation to enable the implementation of their policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. Cyprus suspended asylum applications from Syrians in response to an increase in arrivals. Azerbaijan asked the International Court of Justice to dismiss an Armenian case that alleges ethnic cleansing is occurring in the Nagorno-Karabagh region.  

In policy

A Senate Inquiry has been told that legislation, which criminalises a person’s refusal to cooperate with the deportation process, could inadvertently affect 4,463 people on Bridging Visa E. The Human Rights Commission’s latest inspection report on the Yongah Hill Detention Centre highlighted serious safety concerns from behaviours that are common to a prison system and inadequate health care.    

In research

Research commissioned by the Queensland government found more than 6,000 refugees and migrants have qualifications that match current skill shortage areas but cannot gain employment in those fields. It charts a way forward to enable appropriately skilled refugees and migrants to access employment in their field of expertise. The International Association of Refugee and Migration Judges (IARMJ) called for papers for their 2024 Asia-Pacific Conference.

Monthly Wrap April 2024

In the media

NZYQ High Court decision

In the wake of the High Court’s determination that indefinite detention is unlawful, lawyers believe that the government is settling cases out of court in order to prevent the lawfulness of curfews and ankle bracelets being tested in court. The AFP mistakenly arrested an Iraqi refugee based on incorrect information. This follows last month’s wrongful arrest, by Victoria Police, of a former immigration detainee in Melbourne.

Detention

Guardian Australia revealed that Serco, the contractor that runs immigration detention, uses a software program to determine the risk rating of detainees. The risk rating is used to decide how a person is managed in detention and has been found to have frequently been based on erroneous information.

Nauru and PNG

The coronial inquest into the death of Faysal Ishak, on Manus Island in 2016, heard how he was repeatedly dismissed by the contracted medical provider, IHMS, in the weeks leading up to his death. Hundreds of refugees, who were subjected to offshore processing, have passed 5 years since they were placed on rolling 6-month bridging visas.

Community

Hazara women in Shepparton have established the first Afghan-based Rural Australians for Refugees group in Australia. Despite Australia’s persistent skill shortage challenge, skilled refugees still find it difficult to secure work in their field of expertise.

International

According to the latest Missing Migrants Project report, more than 63,000 people died or disappeared on migration routes in the last ten years. The majority drowned. The UNHCR reported a 20% jump in philanthropic support for refugees from Islamic communities in 2023. Around 70 Rohingya people are feared drowned after their boat capsized off Indonesia. The UNHCR published new guidance on international protection for people fleeing Haiti.

In policy

The government rushed through legislation that criminalises a failure to cooperate in the deportation process, but the legislation has not yet passed the Senate. The legislation expands the Immigration Minister’s power and was passed through the lower house without any opportunity for debate.

New releases

Statelessness in Asia, edited by Michelle Foster, Jaclyn Neo and Christoph Sperfeldt, published by Cambridge University Press

Monthly Wrap March 2024

In the media

In Nauru and Papua New Guinea

A review into how offshore contracts were awarded found that inadequate due diligence resulted in large contracts being awarded to people involved in crime and corruption. The approximately 40 people who arrived by boat in Beagle Bay, Western Australia, were transferred to Nauru. Residents of Beagle Bay spoke of their dehydration and the frequency with which they see foreign fishing boats at sea. The Border Force Commissioner issued a statement on the level of funding for Operation Sovereign Borders after Peter Dutton claimed that their budget had been cut.

Rwandan Genocidaires in Australia

The Guardian published a number of stories on the Rwandan genocidaires living in Australia, and an apparent lack of action by Australian governments to deport them.

Overseas

The ABC published a pictorial of the fire that destroyed more than 7,000 informal homes in Cox’s Bazar. A Sudanese refugee tested Spain’s assertion that people could apply for asylum at a Spanish embassy rather than trying to enter Spain without a visa. A former Russian commander of the Wagner paramilitary group was refused asylum in Norway. ABC’s Religion and Ethics report discussed the allegation that asylum seekers in the UK were falsely converting to Christianity in order to boost their refugee application.

In policy

The commonwealth ombudsman issued a scathing assessment of Australian Border Force’s deportation procedures, including an apparent lack of procedural response to the recent High Court ruling.  The Attorney General asked the High Court to rule on the lawfulness of detention in situations where the individual refuses to cooperate in the deportation process. Legal experts warned that the new preventative detention powers could be unlawful on the basis of contravening human rights obligations. The University sector is lobbying for a program that would enable refugees to apply to come to Australia for study.

In research

Researchers considered the situation of refugees who remain in situ after the UNHCR has withdrawn from a refugee camp, and the extent to which those communities can access the safeguards under the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. A collective of NGOs and scholars published guidelines on the how to co-design research with refugees and displaced people. The UNSW Kaldor Centre mapped the use of hotels as places of detention in Australia.

New releases

Damage: a story of refugees and refuge, a film by Madeleine Blackwell, starring Ali Al Jenabi (who was convicted of people smuggling in 2004). 

Monthly Wrap February 2024

In the media

In Court

A man, who forced a refugee to work in slave like conditions, was sentenced to more than 3 years in prison. Three High Court cases were abandoned after the government dropped the requirement for the plaintiffs to wear ankle bracelets.

In Nauru and PNG

A businesswoman with links to Australia’s offshore refugee program in PNG faced court on drug smuggling charges. A number of the people who were transferred from Australia to Nauru in September 2023 have returned to their countries of origin.

In Gaza

Confirmation that UNRWA had terminated the contracts of staff who were allegedly involved in the Hamas attack on Israel caused a number of countries, including Australia, to pause funding to the UN agency.

In Indonesia

The Australian Federal Court ordered the government to pay compensation to Indonesian people who were charged with people smuggling and jailed as adults on the basis of a flawed age testing technique. Acehnese people have become increasingly hostile to the arrival of Rohingya people as the government has adopted a hard-line approach to dealing with their plight.

In policy

Legal experts have raised doubts about the need for the Preventative Detention legislation that was rushed through parliament in December. Human Rights Watch criticised Australia’s treatment of people seeking asylum and the conditions under which Australia detains them. Guardian Australia profiled the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot CRISP and some of the families who have settled in Australia through this pathway.

In research

The UNSW Kaldor Centre has commenced a 5-year research program into ‘Evacuations in International Law: Disasters, Conflict and Humanitarian Crises,' including the creation of Laureate Postdoctoral Fellowships.

New releases

Prosecuting Evil, a documentary on the last surviving prosecutor of the Nuremberg trials, available on ABC iview.

Australian Epic: The Tampa, a re-telling of the events that unfolded when the MV Tampa rescued refugees at sea, available on ABC iview.

Back Roads Naracoorte, a program on the small South Australian community that has embraced refugees, available on ABC iview.

Monthly Wrap December 2023

In the media

In Court

The High Court ruling, that the continued detention of people who cannot be deported is unlawful, resulted in the release of over 140 people and legislation rushed through Parliament. That new legislation was immediately challenged in the High Court. The Federal Court ordered the immediate release of a refugee who had been detained for over 11 years.

In Gaza

UNRWA, who have the mandate for the care of Palestinian refugees, warned that the conflict may result in over 1 million people becoming refugees. The ABC published an explainer on the repeated shelling of refugee camps in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force. 

In PNG and Nauru

The government agreed to settle a negligence claim brought on behalf of an infant that became seriously ill while detained on Nauru. The eviction risk for the men who remain in PNG remains unresolved as the PNG government calls for further funding from the Australian government.

Afghans in Pakistan

Pakistan’s policy to forcibly return 1.7 million undocumented Afghans has resulted in many thousands of people living in tents as winter takes hold. NGOs have blamed western governments, including Australia, for abandoning Afghan people. Al Jazeera published a story on the options that Afghan people face.

International

Finland closed four border crossings with Russia to decrease the number of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants entering the country. Italy secured a deal with Albania whereby they would detain and process asylum seekers on Italy’s behalf. The UK Supreme Court ruled the Rwanda deal was unconstitutional and Austria stated its intention to pursue a similar policy. People entering Greece to claim asylum reported that they were subjected to invasive strip searches on arrival. Cate Blanchett urged the European Parliament to return humanity to the core of asylum policy. Refugees fleeing Darfur reported ethnically based killings amidst the ongoing fighting in Sudan. Canada’s new skilled refugees pilot program was criticised for potentially setting a dangerous precedent if refugees are assessed on their skills rather than their protection needs.

In policy

In response to the High Court ruling, the government announced its intention to pass preventative detention legislation in the final sitting week. Documents tabled in the Senate showed the Attorney-General approved the Human Rights Commission’s request to intervene in the High Court case, as it is required to do. Independent MP Kylea Tink introduced a bill to place a 90 day time limit on immigration detention and to ban the detention of children. The Refugee Council of Australia published their letter to government outlining their concerns on the new immigration detention legislation. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture urged the government to address the failures of contracted businesses to ensure detention centres are safe for detainees and staff.  The UNHCR published the program and papers for December’s Global Refugee Forum in Geneva.

In research

The Australian Institute for Health and Welfare published research into the health service use, health outcomes and causes of death for people who sought safe haven in Australia. A collaboration between Universities and NGOs researched the impact that Covid-19 measures had on refugee and migrant communities access to justice. The Human Rights Law Centre, in the UK, published an assessment of the first six months of the Streamlined Asylum Process.

New releases

Evacuation, a documentary on the British evacuation of Afghans in 2021

Monthly Wrap November 2023

In the media

In Nauru, PNG and Christmas Island

Eleven people were sent to Nauru after their boat was intercepted en route to Australia. Background Briefing presented an in-depth account of the whistleblower who leaked the Nauru files to the media. An immigration official in PNG alleged that Australian funds sent for the offshore program were misappropriated. This comes as the men who remain there face further uncertainty over their accommodation and supports. The detention centre on Christmas Island is once again empty as detainees have been deported or returned to the mainland.  

In Gaza

Thirty people were killed by an Israeli air strike on the Jabalia refugee camp. The Associated Press published an explainer on Egypt and Jordan’s refusal to allow Palestinians to enter their countries. The United Nations Relief Works Agency UNRWA called for an immediate ceasefire. Republicans called for Gazans to be banned from entering America.

In Court

In November the High Court will hear a challenge to indefinite detention. The case is brought by a Rohingya man and will seek to overturn the 2004 Al Kateb ruling that found a person can be indefinitely detained even when they cannot be removed from the country. Refugees who were detained by the Howard government have experienced lengthy delays in getting their compensation claims heard in court. Some have died while waiting for a hearing.

International

More than 4,000 people have been killed in Darfur amid the intensifying conflict in Sudan. The UN stated that refugees and displaced people were targeted based on their ethnicities. Meanwhile youth groups have mobilised to assist people who fled the fighting in Khartoum. The Republic of Congo was congratulated for signing up to the 1954 and 1961 Conventions aimed at ending statelessness. Canada granted protection to a Chinese activist who had spent two weeks in a Taiwanese airport transit lounge. The UK commenced flights to evacuate Afghans who had worked for the UK and then fled to Pakistan after the Taliban take-over. The German government drafted legislation to make it easier to deport failed asylum seekers and to extend the permitted detention timeframe prior to their deportation.

In policy

A review into Australia’s visa system detailed widespread exploitation by bad faith actors, which was aided by the lengthy processing times for visa classes such as protection visas. The report found that a preoccupation with the risk of people arriving by boat diverted attention away from vulnerabilities elsewhere in the visa system. The government announced an overhaul of the protection visa processing approach so as to clear the backlog. Crikey fact checked Peter Dutton’s claim that 105,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Australia since Labor came to power. The Saturday Paper published a feature on how people within the same family have different visa statuses due to Australian policy whereby people’s rights are based on the manner in which they arrived in the country, rather than the circumstances that they fled.

In research

Melbourne University’s Social Equity Institute opened bookings for their 2023 Migration, Refugees and Statelessness Interdisciplinary conference. They also hosted a webinar on how to use the Australian Research on Refugee Integration Database (ARRID) database.

New releases

Home to Biloela, a book by Priya Nadesalingham with Rebekah Holt, published by Allen and Unwin.

Monthly Wrap October 2023

In the media

Detention

An Iranian man, detained for over ten years, took his case to the High Court after the former Home Affairs Minister suddenly changed his status to get around a Federal Court order that he should be moved into the community. The complexity of his case was detailed in a CNN report.

Offshore detention regime

The AAT ruled that asylum seekers who suffered loss or damage from the 2014 Home Affairs data breach are eligible for compensation. Men who remain stuck in Papua New Guinea due to Australia’s offshore detention policy were issued eviction notices because their accommodation bills had not been paid for over a year.

Protest

Refugees, who were processed under the ‘fast track’ scheme and remain in legal limbo, protested outside Minister O’Neil’s electorate office.

International

Azerbaijan’s seizure of Nagorno-Karabakh caused 60km queues at the border, as ethnic Armenians fled their homeland. The UNHCR stated that more than $1 billion in aid is needed to assist Sudanese people fleeing the ongoing conflict in their country. The World Bank increased its funding to Chad to assist with the arrival of Sudanese refugees. The IOM declared the Mexico-USA border as the world’s deadliest land route for refugees and migrants. Lebanon’s interim PM complained that the significant increase in Syrians entering the country risks unsettling the demographics of Lebanon. Asylum applications in the EU increased 20% in the past year. Italy reacted to the increase by extending the permitted duration of detention for people awaiting deportation. The UK Home Secretary called for an update to the refugee convention to prevent, as she claims, a tendency for courts to interpret the risk of discrimination as being sufficient grounds for refugee protection.

In policy

The Guardian revealed that in 2020 the Auditor-General’s department warned Home Affairs that it had failed to meet the key principles of immigration detention; namely i) the speedy resolution of people’s cases and ii) prioritising community detention over locked detention. The UNSW Kaldor Centre published a policy brief on strengthening asylum systems.  A man who walked from Ballarat to Sydney to bring attention to the plight of asylum seekers who are denied work rights, was granted permanent residency by way of Ministerial intervention. The Saturday Paper published a piece on the role that Australian politicians played in the UK’s current refugee policies.

In research

A study found that 46% of refugee and migrant women in Australia had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the last 5 years. A social impact agency called Purpose published a study into the role of the media in online hate speech in Australia, in which the negative framing of refugees was one of their case studies. A review of European resettlement found that 16 EU member states had not resettled a single refugee this year. The UNSW Kaldor Centre released the program for its 2023 Conference on 20 November 2023.

New releases

The Disposables, a drama by the ABC 

When Migrants Fail to Stay. New Histories on Departures and Migration. An anthology edited by Balint, Damousi and Fitzpatrick. Published by Bloomsbury.

Monthly Wrap September 2023

In the media

Offshore detention

The family of Reza Berati, who was killed at the detention centre on Manus Island, agreed to a financial settlement with the Commonwealth and G4S Security.

Labour exploitation

The Federal Court ruled that a major recycling company in Victoria systematically exploited asylum seekers and migrants who worked for them.

Afghan women’s football team

Malala Yousafzai has joined calls for the Afghan Women’s football team, currently in exile in Australia, to be permitted to play international tournaments. 

International

A million people have fled the conflict in Sudan. Flash flooding destroyed the make-shift houses of around 15,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. Al Jazeera published a detailed account of living conditions in the Cox’s Bazar camp. The UNHCR called for a regional response to address the number of Rohingya people who are dying at sea in their effort to seek safe haven. Conditions in a Libyan migrant centre were highlighted when footage of an emaciated woman, who lay dead, was shared to media outlets. In the UK, the barge that was to accommodate asylum seekers was evacuated within days of opening due to a bacteria outbreak. The government there has been criticised for sending a number of unaccompanied children to adult prisons. It stated that it intends to leave the European Court of Human Rights if their Rwanda policy is blocked and has negotiated a deal with Turkey on supporting their police to intercept people smuggling operations.  

In policy

The government announced an increase in the annual humanitarian in-take. The ALP’s latest party platform includes a commitment to appoint a special envoy for refugees, to initiate an inquiry into immigration detention and to permit asylum seekers to study while their claims are processed. Former NSW Premier and current RCOA board member, Nick Greiner, called for an end to the visa limbo experienced by asylum seekers who were subjected to offshore detention. At a gathering in Shepparton, Iranian asylum seekers shared their frustration at remaining in visa limbo ten years after having arrived in Australia.

In research

The Refugee Council of Australia published an analysis of Australia’s claims of a generous refugee program. The Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness opened applications for its annual Statelessness Intensive course. Human Rights Watch published a report on the murder, by Saudi border guards, of hundreds of Ethiopians who attempted to cross the Saudi-Yemen border.

New releases

The Decline and Fall of Republican Afghanistan, a book by Ahmad Shuja and William Malley, published by Hurst Publishers. 

Monthly Wrap August 2023

In the media

Nauru and PNG

As Australians rallied in support of refugees on the ten year anniversary of the return to offshore processing, the 9 Media group revealed that Nauru detention contracts were awarded to a businessman who was under AFP investigation for corruption. ABC’s 7:30 ran a detailed overview of the issue and the Guardian raised concerns that Home Affairs may have misled the Senate. Parliamentary documents revealed that, in December 2021, Australia signed a confidential deal with Papua New Guinea whereby they would keep refugees there in exchange for funds. The current government refuses to release the details of the payments.  

Detention

A federal judge found that, despite the harsh conditions of hotel detention, it was not illegal.  Documents obtained under Freedom of Information showed 115 people were unlawfully detained in the last five years. A fire broke out at Villawood detention centre, forcing people to jump out their windows.

Protection Visas

Home Affairs data shows a doubling in the number of people who have claimed asylum after having arrived by plane in the last year. A person who has been on a temporary protection visa for 11 years, mostly without work rights, commenced a walk from Ballarat to Canberra to raise awareness of the plight of people in his situation.

International

Palestinians in a Jenin refugee camp lost their homes and cars from an aerial assault operation by the Israeli Defence Force amid the continued escalation in violence. The World Food Program announced a cut in food allowances to Syrian refugees in Jordan. The Hong Kong police announced bounties for the capture of eight democracy activists who fled the country, one of whom is Australian. Investigations into a deadly boat sinking in the Mediterranean suggest it may have been caused by Greek Coastguard attempts to tow the boat. The UK Parliament passed the Illegal Migration Bill, described as the country’s most extreme immigration legislation ever. Journalists in England toured a  barge that will house asylum seekers off their coast.

In policy

The government announced an additional $2.6million in funding will be allocated to settlement service providers.   

In research

Research found that detention more than doubles a person’s risk of PTSD. UNSW research concluded that securing temporary protection visas (labelled ‘medium security’) did not improve people’s mental wellbeing. The Melbourne Social Equity Institute’s annual conference on Migration, Refugees and Statelessness opened for registration. The UNSW Kaldor Centre advertised for two Visiting Fellowship positions, for people based in Sydney who have experienced displacement.

Monthly Wrap July 2023

In the media

In detention

The Human Rights Commission has released a report on hotel detention, finding serious human rights impacts on detainees, and making 24 recommendations to the Australian government. Australian protestors gathered outside hotel detention demanding the release of evacuees from Nauru and highlighting their ongoing trauma.

In Nauru and PNG

Multiple sources reported that the last refugee was evacuated from Nauru on 24 June. In the wake of this news, there have been many individuals sharing their experiences on Nauru. Along with this news, many advocates and media are urging the Australian government to take responsibility for those abandoned in Papua New Guinea.

In regional Australia

One man who fled Myanmar and settled in Western Australia reflects on the community he has found in Australia and his hopes for the end of conflict in his home country.

International

UNHCR released its Global Trends report which announced that the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached 108.4 million by the end of 2022, and has reached 110 million now. The significant increase is attributed to the number of people fleeing Ukraine, and the ongoing displacement from Afghanistan. Refugees who went into hiding after the Taliban takeover have found safety in Australia with the help of a stranger. Refugees fleeing the ongoing conflict in Sudan are being turned back at the border, and the international community has pledged 1.5 billion dollars in aid. How has the war in Sudan affected Sudanese people in Australia, and their families back home? Listen to the Guardian’s podcast. A fishing boat carrying asylum seekers and migrants off the coast of Greece has sunk. There have been 78 recorded deaths and hundreds still missing.

In policy

The Refugee Council of Australia urged the government to act on its pledge to increase the quota of the Refugee and Humanitarian program from 13,750 to 27,000 places after new figures on global displacement. 50 years on from Whitlam’s review of Australia’s multicultural policy, the Albanese government announced a review in February. The Conversation focused on what the review is seeking to achieve.

In research

New research published on mental deterioration of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia with uncertain legal status, focused particularly on the recent changes to refugees holding TPV and SHEV visas announced in March 2023.

New releases

Freedom is Beautiful  is a new documentary following the journey of two Kurdish refugees, Farhad Bandesh and Mostafa (Moz) Azimitabar, who were finally freed from detention after being imprisoned for almost eight years under Australia’s offshore processing regime.

Monthly Wrap June 2023

In the media

Refugee Week

The Refugee Council of Australia published a list of events that will occur during and around Refugee Week.  The University Technology Sydney will host a webinar on the role of universities in assisting refugees. Many local councils have planned events to mark the week.

In Nauru and PNG

The government forecast that the Nauru centre will continue to cost $350 million per year even if no refugees are present on the island. It was revealed that the former government paid $17.5million to a company owned by a convicted criminal. Two women shared their experience of sexual assault while they were under Australia’s care in Nauru. A man in PNG doused himself in petrol in the offices of the support services provider, after his support payments were suspended. Guardian Australia commemorated its 10 year anniversary with a behind the scenes look at how they dealt with the Nauru files leak.

In Detention

The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture named Australia and the UK as outliers due to the absence of time limits on immigration detention. She stated that detaining someone beyond 3 months with no timeframe on release could be classified as a form of torture. Australia is on track to become the first OECD country to be placed on the non-compliance list under the OPCAT treaty. A stateless man was freed after more than 13 years in detention.

In Regional Australia

Ezidi people reflected on their sense of belonging in Armidale, which is home to around 650 Ezidi people.

International

Japan passed a controversial law that enables a person who makes multiple applications for asylum, to be deported. The UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty warned that stateless Rohingya people face the same level of extreme poverty as Palestinian people. Following an inspection visit to Rakhine state, a delegation of Rohingya people insisted they would only return if they were given full citizenship and were guaranteed security and freedom of movement. The German federal government promised €1 billion to local states that have experienced a sharp increase in the number of refugees requiring housing and social support. The commitment was part of negotiations between the levels of government about how support expenses should be funded. As the USA ended the pandemic-induced Title 42 law on people seeking asylum, Guardian Australia published an explainer on what this means for people seeking entry from Mexico.  

In policy

Despite a promised boost in the annual refugee in-take, the government did not allocate additional funding for resettlement in the budget. The Refugee Council of Australia and the UNSW Kaldor Centre published analyses of the federal budget from the perspective of people seeking asylum. Sudanese people, who were in Australia when the violence erupted in their homeland, shared their worries about their visas expiring with no prospect of a safe return home. The UNSW Kaldor Centre reported that the AAT updated how it interprets ‘well-founded fear of persecution' 

In research

Academics from Murdoch University and the University of South Australia published research that found that protracted visa uncertainty causes significant psychological harm for people.

Monthly Wrap May 2023

In the media

In Court

A High Court decision on two cases involving Ministerial Intervention on visa matters will require a review of the Ministerial Guidelines and could impact visa decisions as far back as 2016. After a class action on the issue of detention was discontinued, people’s accounts of their experience in Manus Island were combined with AI imagery to tell their stories.

Afghanistan

A Sydney mother and son have assisted almost 100 Afghan children to evacuate to Australia in the past year. Meanwhile Canada is on track to achieve its aim of resetting 40,000 Afghan refugees by the end of the year.  

International

New Zealand amended its immigration detention laws to enable asylum seekers who arrive ‘en masse’ by ship to be detained for up to 28 days for processing. Around 20,000 Sudanese people have fled into Chad, with 100,000 more expected if the conflict continues. Canada announced a new policy to settle more skilled refugees as one way to address their labour shortage. The UK government announced a plan to house asylum seekers on a barge off the Dorset coast. Documents obtained under freedom of information show the UK Coastguard ignored 19 distress calls from people on boats that were floundering in the English Channel.

In policy

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, expressed hope for a better approach to people seeking asylum in Australia. His address to the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness can be viewed here. The Refugee Council of Australia released the 2023 review of Australia’s refugee policy using the Refugee Response Index Methodology. Activists on the annual Palm Sunday rally called for permanent residency to the 12,000 people who were subject to the fast track assessment system.

In research

The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute published the findings of their work with children in immigration detention. A study by Murdoch University and University of South Australia found that the people found Australia’s asylum process as distressing as the circumstances that led them to flee their homelands . A survey of over 27,00 people across 26 countries found that people prefer to admit more asylum seekers into their country rather than provide financial assistance to host countries. The University of Melbourne released the Behind the Wire report into people’s experience of indefinite detention by Australia.

New releases

Cruel Care, a book by Jordana Silverstein, published by Monash University Publishing.

From Bhutan to Blacktown, a book by Om Dhungel and James Button, published by NewSouth Books.

Watander: My Countryman, a film by Muzafar Ali and Jolyon Hoff, produced by Light Sound Art Film   

Monthly Wrap April 2023

In the media

Detention

A man, who cannot be returned to Egypt, faces indefinite detention on the basis of an ASIO assessment that he is a security risk. He is not allowed to see the information that ASIO has on him. Another man remains in detention two months after the AAT ruled that his visa should not have been cancelled. As a result, he missed the birth of his baby.

In the community

The number of people in Australia, who are awaiting a decision on their refugee claim or have had their claim rejected, reached a record 100,000. Asylum Insight’s recent explainer detailed some of the complications that delay or prevent refused asylum seekers from being deported. The Daily Telegraph published a story on how a security guard at the detention centre in Nauru fell in love with a refugee detained there. Their future remains uncertain while she remains on a bridging visa. Refugees living in a Melbourne accommodation complex, owned by St Vincents Care Services, were advised the units will be demolished at the end of the year.

International

Following the UK government’s introduction of controversial asylum policies, the BBC hosted a panel discussion on whether the asylum system is broken. The Danish Refugee Appeals Board declared the Syrian province of Latakia is safe for the return of refugees. More drownings occurred in March as people attempted crossings to Europe. Over a 4-week period around 100,000 Somali people fled into Ethiopia amid violent clashes and severe drought in their homeland. Thousands of refugees in a camp in Cox’s Bazar (Bangladesh) lost everything when a large fire ripped through the camp. The UNHCR called for support to the countries neighbouring Venezuela where more than 6 million Venezuelans have moved in recent years.

In policy

The Refugee Council of Australia facilitated the creation of the inaugural Parliamentary Friends of Refugees group, with independent MP Zoe Daniel as the inaugural Chair. The Greens party’s ‘Evacuation to Safety’ bill was defeated in Parliament. The Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness will host a presentation by Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner, Gillian Triggs, set out practical measures that governments could take to reduce the risk of refugees drowning at sea without compromising border security.

In research

Researchers found strong support among Australians and New Zealanders for the resettlement of Rohingya people. The data was extracted from a large global survey into attitudes towards various issues. Advocates have called for increased protection of Ukrainian refugees after a study found a significant increase in viewership of pornography that claims to involve Ukrainian refugees over the last six months.

New releases

Freedom, Only Freedom: the Prison Writings of Behrouz Boochani, published by Bloomsbury.

Monthly Wrap March 2023

In the media

Nauru and PNG

The UNHCR backed a push by the Greens for legislation to immediately transfer the remaining refugees in Nauru and PNG to Australia. Two refugees on Nauru sewed their lips shut in protest at their situation. Meanwhile the government rushed legislation through Parliament to reauthorise Nauru as an offshore processing location. Behrouz Boochani concluded his Australian tour with an appearance on ABC Q&A where he confronted current and former Ministers on their respective government’s asylum policies.

Detention

Around 100 people, who were released in December due to a court ruling, were told they would be re-detained after retrospective legislation was passed to make their detention lawful. Around 50 refugees, who allege harm caused by their detention in the early 2000s, have waited almost ten years for their civil cases against the government to be heard. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention demanded the immediate release of an Iranian man who has spent 5 years in detention. Members of his family were killed during recent protests against the Iranian regime in Ahwaz.

International

Rohingya refugees sent money to earthquake victims in Turkiye and Northern Syria as a symbol of their solidarity with people who have lost everything. Canada committed to accepting 10,000 Uyghur refugees, over two years, in response to apparent efforts by China to forcibly return Uyghur people who have fled. The USA commenced a refugee sponsorship program that will be similar to the Canadian program that has been operational since 1979. At the same time the US government announced that anyone who passed through other countries to reach their land border would be banned from applying for asylum. Reuters documented the 11-country trek that hundreds of Afghan people have made from Brazil to the USA. In Africa, thousands of Somali people fled to Ethiopia to escape a surge in violence in the Sool region. The UNHCR released its 2023 South Sudanese Refugee Response Plan. The UNHCR visited Northern Ethiopia where a peace deal appears to be holding. In Europe atleast 62 people drowned when their boat disintegrated off a popular tourist beach in Italy. Six people were charged with involuntary manslaughter and people smuggling after 18 asylum seekers were found dead in the back of a truck in Bulgaria.

In policy

The government announced the commencement of the process to move people on Temporary Protection Visas and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas to permanent residence. The announcement was accompanied by a directive to the navy to increase their patrol of Australian waters. Refugees who arrived by boat after 19 July 2013 will remain on bridging visas. One such refugee commenced a full scholarship at Newcastle University, but was stripped of her study rights as soon as she turned 18, as per government policy for people who were subject to offshore processing.

A Senate inquiry into the human rights implications of violence in Iran recommended designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organisation and expelling any Iranian officials who have monitored or intimidated people in Australia.

In research

Dr Claire Higgins of the UNSW Kaldor Centre will lead research into regional employment for refugees in Australia. An ARC Discovery Project will fund the development of a new analytical framework into Australia’s role in international law, including where it concerns refugees. The Melbourne Social Equity Institute opened applications for it Interdisciplinary PhD Program into Migration, Statelessness and Refugees.

Monthly Wrap February 2023

In the media

Litigation

Around 100 people were released from immigration detention in the days leading up to Christmas. Lawyers believe the releases could be attributed to a Federal Court ruling that the threshold for a mandatory visa cancellation should not be based on cumulative sentences. The legality of Australia’s use of indefinite immigration detention will be challenged in court, in a case that could have implications for hundreds of people currently held.

Detention

A man who has spent 5 years in detention died by suspected suicide in Villawood Detention Centre. The latest Ombudsman report into immigration detention found that people’s concerns about maggots in the food were dismissed by Serco guards and that ‘holding cells’ with no toilet or running water were used for prolonged periods in Villawood detention centre, without any health assessment.

Nauru

A refugee remains on Nauru despite requiring urgent medical treatment and the fact that his family is now in Australia after their evacuation from Afghanistan. He was refused resettlement to Canada because Canada does not resettle people if it means they will be separated from their family.  The US prison operator that now runs Australia’s operations in Nauru was accused of gross negligence. Senator McKim requested the auditor-general look into the due diligence that was undertaken to award the contract.

2002 Cabinet Papers

The release of the 2002 Cabinet Papers revealed that the Howard Government was warned that fast-tracking a detention centre on Christmas Island would risk human rights and OHS safeguards, and would be very expensive. It also revealed the Howard Government explored quietly bringing offshore detainees back to Australia.

Housing affordability

The spike in rent across Australia is acutely impacting asylum seekers because they are not entitled to any government assistance and many are in insecure work.

Afghanistan

An Afghan man, who came to Australia as a refugee, brought with him a hard drive containing thousands of photographs showcasing Afghanistan’s landscape and the Hazara culture. His work was featured in a UNSW Library online exhibition.

International

79 children in the UK as unaccompanied minors seeking asylum have disappeared, feared kidnapped, from the government provided accommodation. A Russian commander of the paramilitary Wagner Group claimed asylum in Norway.  

In policy

At a Refugee Council of Australia event, the Immigration Minister took questions from the audience on a range of policy topics. The government announced that 19,000 people on Temporary Protection and Safe Haven visas will be granted permanent residence. The fate of an additional 12,000 people in the so-called ‘legacy caseload’ remains unclear.  Attorney-General Dreyfus said action will be taken to end the ‘inhumanity’ of Australia’s refugee policy.

In research

The latest European Journal of International Law includes an analysis of whether, in light of Taliban policy, all Afghan women and girls should be recognised as refugees.

Human Rights Watch 2022 World Report detailed Australia’s human rights failures when it comes to asylum seeker policy, the treatment of indigenous people in prison and the laws governing protests. Volume 4 of The Statelessness and Citizenship Review was published in December.

New releases

Map of Hope and Sorrow: Stories of Refugees Trapped in Greece, a book by Helen Benedict and Eyad Awwadawnan, published by Footnote Press.

Monthly Wrap December 2022

In the media

Nauru and PNG

The first six people, under New Zealand’s resettlement scheme with Australia, arrived from Nauru. The Home Affairs Minister said that letters telling asylum seekers to leave Australia were sent in error. Her department disagreed.

Detention

Information provided to senate hearings and reported by the commonwealth Ombudsman revealed that, since 2018, around 170 places were designated as detention facilities, including 77 hotels. Eight asylum seekers were released after ten years in onshore immigration detention. Australian officials were questioned by the UN Committee Against Torture, at its November session. The former PM, Scott Morrison, secretly held the Home Affairs portfolio at the time that he told journalists that any decision about the Nadesalingam family was the responsibility of the relevant Minister.

Community

A Kurdish refugee captained Australia’s blind football team in their debut international tournament. Afghan refugees reflected on the experience of seeing their national cricket team compete at the MCG. Participants in a NSW bushwalking program shared how the program boosted their wellbeing.

United Nations

The UNHCR has called for refugees and displaced people to be given seats at COP28. It warned that Haiti is on the verge of collapse and urged countries not to forcibly return people there. Similarly it demanded countries not to forcibly return people to the Democratic Republic of Congo where ongoing violence has caused huge numbers of people to cross the border. The UNHCR appealed for more aid to support the more than 200,000 Burundian people who have returned home in the last five years. UNRWA warned that its ability to support Palestinian refugees has reached a crisis point. In the world’s most densely populated refugee camp, young people have led projects to improve the local environment.

International

The EU agreed a new migrant plan and is prepared for an increase in Ukrainian people seeking sanctuary over winter. Kenya’s move away from an encampment response to refugees has shown better self-reliance among refugees when they can choose where they stay and have work rights. First responders in Syria blamed Russia for deadly drone attacks on displaced persons camps. A whistleblower revealed that the UK Home Office is recruiting retail staff to conduct refugee interviews with little training and support. An asylum seeker sued the UK government over the condition of the reception centre where asylum seekers are accommodated on arrival. A person at the accommodation centre died in what is believed to be a case of diphtheria.

In policy

An Afghan man was invited to his citizenship ceremony, but then suddenly stripped of his permanent residency when the immigration department claimed that his original Afghan identity document was a fraud. The government announced that refugees on temporary protection visas would get more rights to travel overseas and those who came by boat before 19 July 2013, and have permanent residence, would no longer be the lowest priority when it came to family reunion applications. The government committed to prioritising protection applications from Myanmar nationals. A briefing document revealed that the former government was advised, in 2020, to develop an individualised risk assessment capability so that more people could be released from immigration detention. Additionally it revealed that the current government is considering electronic monitoring as an alternative to immigration detention. The Refugee Council of Australia published its annual report.

In research

Research by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and Human Rights Law Centre confirmed that asylum seekers on bridging visas were at a higher risk of labour exploitation. The Melbourne Social Equity Institute published the papers that were presented at the 2022 Migration, Statelessness and Refugees Interdisciplinary Conference.

Monthly Wrap November 2022

In the media

Detention

The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture suspended their tour of Australian places of detention due to a lack of cooperation by the Queensland and New South Wales governments. The UN Human Rights Office and the Attorney General both issued statements. The American prison company contracted to run Australia’s detention facility will receive $750,000 per day for a reduced range of welfare services than the previous contract required.

Court

The government was ordered to mediate with 120 Indonesians who were considered adult for imprisonment purposes, on the basis of flawed wrist x-rays. Lawyers for an Egyptian refugee claimed that ASIO’s reliance on information obtained under torture effectively meant that they accept torture. The negative ASIO security assessment is the reason the man has been detained for the past ten years. A people-smuggling case relating to the SIEV X boat, which sank in 2001 killing 353 people, commenced in the Brisbane Supreme Court.

International

Germany announced a new program to evacuate 1,000 people per month from Afghanistan. Meanwhile the former Chancellor, Angela Merkel, received a UNHCR award for her response to the 2015 crisis for Syrian refugees. Cholera outbreaks have occurred across refugee camps in Lebanon and Cameroon. The Lebanese government announced it would go ahead with its plan to repatriate around 15,000 Syrian refugees per month. A Tamil woman in an Indian refugee camp became the first among her peers to be granted Indian citizenship. Amid a surge in the number of Venezuelan people attempting to enter America, the American government announced it would accept 125,000 refugees this year. Refugees in America, who have waited years to reunite with their families, feel abandoned as the US government prioritises people fleeing Afghanistan and Ukraine.

In policy

The UNSW laid out how Russians fleeing national conscription should be given the same treatment as others when it came to refugee status. The Refugee Council published an analysis of the budget.  

In research

New research found three out of four Australians support permanent pathways for refugees who are in Australia. Registrations opened for the Melbourne Social Equity Institute’s conference on migration, refugees and statelessness to be held on 18 November 2022.

Monthly Wrap October 2022

In the media

Offshore detention

The controversial US prison operator, set to take over garrison operations on Nauru, will be paid $42 million for 52 days preparatory work. Meanwhile the existing contractor, Canstruct International, will continue to receive payment for the same period. People still held on Nauru said they have lost all hope of a life. Former guards at the Manus Island detention centre agreed to a multi-million dollar settlement offer from the Australian government for harm caused during their work there. Fourteen refugees have been interviewed under the New Zealand resettlement program.

Detention

The UN subcommittee on the prevention of torture has been urged to investigate Australia’s practice of handcuffing of immigration detainees during off-site medical appointments. People in immigration detention spoke out about the violence and drug use in facilities and their fear for their safety.

International

Thai fishermen rescued 10 Rohingya refugees who were adrift at sea for some time, and found a further 41 Rohingya people stranded on an island. The Sri Lankan Guardian detailed the reasons behind an increase in the number of Sri Lankan people risking boat journeys. An increasing number of Somali refugees, who lived most of their life in Dadaab refugee camp, have returned to Somalia to try to make a new life. The Dutch government initiated a plan to house more than 1,000 asylum seekers and migrants on ships in response to a worsening accommodation crisis. Britain’s new Home Office Secretary pledged to end boat crossings to the UK. Former Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, was appointed to a panel to provide oversight of the UK’s controversial Rwanda transfer program.

In policy

As Australia’s asylum system was equated to a lottery, refugees who spent years offshore received letters stating that settlement in Australia is not an option and that they should apply for resettlement to New Zealand. Meanwhile, refugees who were resettled in Australia through a skilled refugee program urged the government to expand the successful program. Registrations for the 2022 UNSW Kaldor Centre Conference opened.

New releases

Forty Nights, a book by Pirooz Jafari, published by Ultimo Press.

Monthly Wrap September 2022

In the media

In detention

The ABC profiled the situation of a refugee, with an intellectual disability, who has been in detention since he was 15 years old, while his mother lives in the community. The government says that his ongoing detention is based on character grounds.

 In Court

A Federal Court judge ordered the government to reassess their refusal of a citizenship application which effectively caused a child to become stateless. The High Court agreed to hear an appeal by a convicted people smuggler who was denied a protection visa. The case will test whether Australia’s deterrence policy is punitive.

In Nauru

Leaked documents revealed that Wilson Security collected intelligence for the Australian government on the people detained in Nauru.  A company that runs prisons in America was awarded the contract for detention centre operations in Nauru.

In the community

SBS profiled business start-ups by refugees in Australia, highlighting the fact that they are more likely to start their own business than other migrant groups.   

International

NGOs in France argued that the lack of support to asylum seekers in France is causing people to attempt the channel crossing. The war in Ukraine and conflict in Myanmar appears to have caused the Japanese government to consider accepting more refugees. Refugees in Cameroon will get national ID cards that will enable them to access basic services including education, banking and healthcare. Documents revealed that of the 16,000 people who were issued with notices of their potential removal under the UK’s new inadmissibility policy, only 21 were removed have been removed.

In policy

MP Andrew Wilkie re-introduced the Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Immigration Detention bill to Parliament and MP Dai Le said she will push the government to increase the humanitarian quota and speed up refugee processing. Advocates called for the government to implement measures that will enable skilled asylum seekers already in Australia to more easily contribute to the workforce shortage. Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, more than 211,000 people  applied for resettlement to Australia. Australia welcomed the first group of refugees under the new community sponsorship program. An Australian former refugee co-founded a global organisation that advocates for refugees to have direct input into policies that affect them.  

In research

The Refugee Council of Australia published its review of access to asylum, its first report under the new global Refugee Response Index. The UNSW Kaldor Centre released a Data Lab containing data on Tribunal and Court matters concerning asylum seekers and refugees. The Comparative Network on Refugee Externalisation Policies (CONREP) published a paper into the harmful narratives used to discuss refugees, and proposed a better way forward. The Refugee Law Initiative published the webinars from their 2022 conference. Michelle Foster and Cathryn Costello examined the question of differing reactions to refugee situations against international law that prohibits discrimination. The Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness opened registrations for their 2023 intensive course.

New releases

Unpacking the Australian offshore processing policy, an episode in the Australia: Inside Out podcast, published by Menzies Australia Institute, Kings College London.

Monthly Wrap August 2022

In the media

Election day text messages

An investigation into the LNP’s election-day announcement that asylum seekers had been intercepted at sea, revealed that the Prime Minister’s office had instructed Australian Border Force to make the information public. It also found that the information had been leaked to journalists before it had been uploaded to ABF’s website.

In court

The lawfulness of Australia’s use of alternative places of detention has been challenged in court. During the case the government sought to suppress detention locations and it was revealed that the detention of ex-offshore refugees in hotels cost up to $3 million per month.

In detention

A man who has been assessed as a refugee is into his tenth year in onshore detention despite a court order that he should have been moved to a residence and his deteriorating mental health.

In the community

ABC news featured the success of a Shepparton school where newly arrived Afghan children are thriving. SBS News profiled a Victorian government program that employs refugees, with relevant expertise, on major infrastructure projects. Two Saudi sisters who were found dead in their Sydney apartment had asylum claims in process.

International

Investigations revealed that sex traffickers have preyed on women fleeing Ukraine. Some of the people who were scheduled for transfer from the UK to Rwanda have been found to be victims of trafficking. A psychology institute in northern Iraq, that provides psychotherapy to Yazidi refugees, has trained 58 people to become psychotherapists in an effort to normalise talking therapy in the country. Italian authorities began relocating refugees off Lampedusa to ease overcrowding concerns.

In policy

The UN Subcommittee on Torture advised that it will conduct inspections of Australia’s detention centres in the coming months. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie reintroduced the Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Detention Bill 2022 in Parliament. Protestors called for an overhaul of how Australia treats people who have sought asylum. Administrative Appeals Tribunal documents revealed that Coalition appointed tribunal members refused asylum cases at twice the rate of their peers. The Comparative Network on the Externalisation of Refugee Policies (CONREP) released a policy paper on the health impacts of Australia’s immigration detention. The temporary humanitarian visa program that enabled Ukranians in Australia to work, study and access Medicare ended on 31 July 2022. Despite the Australian government’s insistence that it is not responsible for the 104 people who are left in Papua New Guinea, it continues to fund their living expenses.

In research

Research into Australian attitudes towards asylum policy found that highlighting how the policy breaches international law was more effective at changing opinion than highlighting moral or reputational concerns.

New releases

My tears will calm the sun, a book of illustrated poetry written by Jalal Mahamede

Behrouz, a film produced by a Simon V Kurian

First Port of Asylum, a History Listen episode produced by Federal MP Dai Le

No words, a novel by Maryam Master, published by Pan Macmillan Australia.