Crikey readers have their say.
Immigration
Gambaro gaffe exposes entrenched racism in Liberal ranks
Opposition citizen spokesperson Teresa Gambaro’s gaffe about immigrants’ lack of deodorant reveals much about the deeper social values and political tactics the Liberal Party is willing to delve into, writes Robin Cameron.
Crikey Says: Playing our part in a global dilemma
While Julia Gillard achieved her “year of decision and delivery” in relation to carbon pricing, health reform and the mining tax, her self-appointed task of resolving the issue of asylum seekers remains unfinished at year’s end.
Asylum seekers: finding a Political Solution
Crikey media wrap: The Gillard government appeared willing to negotiate its Malaysia Solution even before the latest boat tragedy but the Opposition refuses to compromise on its asylum seeker policy, according to private letters released yesterday.
Tragedy at sea: over 160 asylum seekers feared dead
Crikey media wrap: Over 160 people are feared dead after an unseaworthy boat packed with asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Iran sank off the coast of Indonesia yesterday.
How our detention centres are run: the government’s contract with Serco
Serco is the company that runs detention centres in Australia. New Matilda uncovers for the official contract between Serco and the Department of Immigration, outlining the experience required of Serco staff and how it deals with issues of detainee depression.
The consequences of turning boats back: SIEV towback cases
Twenty-seven people are feared dead after an boat packed with asylum seekers bound for Australia sank off the coast of Indonesia last week.
Gillard lectures over leaks
Crikey media wrap: The latest government criticisms come from the prime minister herself, with Julia Gillard publicly reprimimanding her colleagues for breaching cabinet confidentiality last week on a debate about asylum seekers.
Govt flips and supports onshore
processing
Crikey media wrap: Australia will now process all asylum seekers onshore, despite both the government and Opposition supporting offshore processing for those that come by boat.
Solve Australia’s refugee policy problems
Last Tuesday UNHCR’s António Guterres recognized Angelie Jolie’s 10 years of service with the refugee agency by asking her to take on an expanded role as a Special Envoy in some of the world’s most difficult refugee situations. Surely Australia fits? asks Richard Farmer.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Europe, United, may never be defeated
Crikey readers have their say.
Politics is a Sisyphean ordeal, and Gillard’s ideal for it
A decided ennui has overtaken Canberra, or at least the Press Gallery. There’s a general sense that politics at the moment is truly wretched, a Sisyphean ordeal.
Deadlock over Malaysia policy
Crikey media wrap: After a day of arguments over amendments to the Migration Act, the Gillard government remain at a political standstill on asylum seeker processing, with onshore processing currently the only viable refugee policy.
Gillard cops ‘no’ from all sides
Crikey media wrap: Julia Gillard’s plan of changing the Migration Act remains in troubled waters, with both the Coalition and Labor MPs threatening to sink the refugee policy.
Abbott stays quiet on refugee policy
Crikey media wrap: Prime Minister Julia Gillard convinced her Labor caucus to back changes to the Migration Act in order to legalise the Malaysia refugee swap, but will Tony Abbott support them?
Malaysia deal not sunk yet
Media wrap: Julia Gillard is likely to rescue her High Court-doomed Malaysia Solution policy, with Labor MPs expected to back changes this morning to the current Migration Act to allow offshore processing.
What Metcalfe said … or is understood to have said
Was the head of Immigration verballed by journalists about social unrest? Well, yes and no …
It’s the vibe: interpreting s198A of the 1958 Migration Act
Ironically, a government whose members have in the past described the Pacific Solution as inhumane relied on and failed using the same legislation because it could not guarantee basic human rights protections, says freelance writer Luke Williams.
Crikey Says: Headline-making stuff
A collection of what Michelle Grattan described as “the worst collection of front page pictures in recent memory.”
Crikey Clarifier: Who’s the guardian of unaccompanied minors sent from Oz?
The High Court will today hear a challenge, led by QC David Manne, on the human rights implications of sending asylum seekers who have arrived by boat in Australia to Malaysia as part of the federal government’s hyped Malaysian Solution.
Tingle: Round in circles but nowhere near the centre on immigration
It’s interesting to examine the circular nature of political polling and public opinion regarding asylum seekers. Immigration now rates as the most critical issue for Australians and the extreme discourse is just encouraging it, writes Laura Tingle.
IELTS study: unis failing foreign students with one-size-fits-all approach
Fresh doubt has been cast on the admission of foreign students into Australian universities, with a new study revealing academic gatekeepers are recklessly abusing a blunt instrument that fails to properly gauge basic English language skills.
A letter from the roof of Darwin’s Northern Immigration Detention Centre
Atop the roof of Darwin’s Northern Immigration Detention Centre (NIDC), Habib Habiburahman sits in protest. He has entered day five of a hunger strike in an attempt to raise awareness of his situation after 18 months in indefinite detention as an asylum seeker, writes Nigel O’Connor.
Jose Antonio Vargas: I’m an illegal immigrant
Pulitzer Prize journalist Jose Antonio Vargas reveals that he is an undocumented migrant in the US, arriving on a fake passport as a child and never receiving legal status despite decades of living in the States.
Christmas Island ‘prison-like’ for children: advocate report
A new report released today has heaped further criticism on the conditions faced by children at the Christmas Island detention centre, with the group behind the research calling for a time limit on the detention of children.
