19 Results

While it is vital to hold the government to account for its actions towards asylum seekers in Australia, a far greater impact on refugees results from our inaction in the region and beyond, writes Susan Metcalfe, author of The Pacific Solution.

With the Senate passing legislation authorising offshore processing, there are small but significant details not outlined in the legislation, writes Caz Coleman, a member of the Ministerial Council on Asylum Seekers and Detention.

An imperfect, two-pronged border protection policy that passed the House of Reps last night will ease human tragedy and lay the groundwork for better law. But will Greens obstinancy scupper the solution, asks Rob Burgess?

Chris Bowen has succeeded in his bid to change Labor’s national platform to allow for offshore processing of refugees after a rancour-filled debate, writes Andrew Crook.

Offshore processing is a gigantic mistake, and until someone other than the Greens says that, Labor will continue to suffer.

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.

The Labor Party appears to be stringing out debate on a number of relatively non-consequential bills in the House of Representatives this morning to avoid a vote on its controversial Malaysia refugee swap legislation.

Regardless of the Malaysia Solution, there is a significant argument for engaging with transit countries in our region that bear the burden of hosting far more asylum seekers than Australia does, writes immigration adviser Caz Coleman.

Crikey’s Canberra correspondent Bernard Keane and Crikey editor Sophie Black discuss the Opposition’s refusal to support the government’s offshore processing amendments.

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.

The ALP National Left has slammed Julia Gillard’s decision to allow immigration minister Chris Bowen carte blanche to decide the offshore processing fate of asylum seekers.

Crikey reads have their say.

At first glance, Pacific Brands’ half-year profit announcement was disastrous. But the news was even worse: results showed the company’s highly contentious move to manufacture offshore has not delivered, says James Boston.

Last week, Immigration Minister Chris Evans said: “It is Rudd Government policy that no child be held in an immigration detention centre”. But on Christmas Island, 84 kids are still being held in what the government calls “temporary detention”, reports David Marr.