In the media
In Nauru
As a fourth person was taken back into detention for removal to Nauru, a parliamentary committee concluded that the government’s policy to fast-track removals to Nauru lacked objective legitimacy and could breach Australia’s human rights obligations. An Iraqi man failed in his High Court bid to prevent his transfer to Nauru. The government significantly expanded the contract for offshore processing in Nauru without going to tender and people sent there reported having to skip meals due to the cost of food.
Afghan refugees
An Afghan women’s football team, comprising players who are in exile, has been approved to play in a friendly tournament in Dubai. Guardian Australia documented the deteriorating security for Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan, which has caused fear among the diaspora community in Australia. Iran reacted to the reimposition of sanctions by threatening to release hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees into Turkey and Iraq.
In the community
The ABC highlighted the situation of a Nepali couple who have been separated from their children for over 13 years because a person’s mode of arrival into Australia determines their family reunion options. The Administrative Review Tribunal found that a gay man from Malaysia, whose protection claim was refused, risks persecution if he is returned there. Ararat, in Victoria, is the latest country town to look to refugees and migrants to fill workforce shortages. At least 29 Americans have applied for protection in Australia.
International
The UNHCR reported that more than 1 million Syrians have returned home since the fall of Assad. The country held its first democratic election, but it did not include areas that are not under the control of the central government. The BBC published a behind the scenes look at life in the hotels that are used to house asylum seekers in the UK. The interim head of government in Bangladesh, Prof Yunus, delivered a speech on the situation of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
In policy
As Australia formalised its recognition of Palestine at the UN General Assembly, critics questioned how countries can recognise Palestine while treating Palestinians as stateless. The number of failed asylum seekers remaining in Australia has passed 100,000. The Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness published their submission to the UN Periodic Review on the right to nationality and the challenges of being stateless in Australia.
In research
The UNSW Kaldor Centre collaborated with global partners on a report into the rise of the use of technology to track people who would otherwise be detained. The UNHCR published its 2025 Refugee Education report.