An open letter to the Attorney-General Nicola Rox, calling on here to implement legislative change to ensue adverse ASIO security assessments can be meaningfully challenged.
Refugees
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.
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.
UNHCR data reveals the shifting burden of asylum seekers
It’s easy to be misled by asylum claim figures. The global numbers don’t matter as much as where asylum seekers are coming from.
Crikey Clarifier: What’s a bridging visa?
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen announced an increase in the amount of bridging visas given to asylum seekers to clear out the crowded detention centres. But how do they work?
Crook sinks House of Reps vote on Malaysia deal
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.
Tony Nahal deserves to stay — whatever the tabloids say
Antoun (Tony) Nahal, his wife, mother-in-law and six-year-old daughter face deportation to Egypt as early as this week — despite the fact that daughter Rita was born here and the others have lived in Australia since 2004.
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.
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.
Onshore or offshore? That is the question
Crikey media wrap: Thanks to the High Court, Julia Gillard essentially has only two asylum seeker policy options: reinstate a Pacific Solution 2.0 with Tony Abbott’s help or abandon offshore processing altogether.
Malaysia Solution lost at sea
Crikey media wrap: The federal government’s refugee swap deal with Malaysia is in tatters after the High Court yesterday ruled the scheme unlawful.
Menadue: urgent need for a new approach to asylum seekers
We must safeguard Australia’s national interest by ensuring that the claims of refugees and asylum seekers to Australia’s protection are considered rigorously but with compassion, writes The Centre for Policy Development’s John Menadue.
PNG plan takes heat off Malaysia deal
Crikey media wrap: The Malaysian Solution remains gridlocked in the High Court, but Gillard has had a win in the asylum seeker debate with Papua New Guinea agreeing for a detention centre to be re-opened on Manus Island.
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.
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.
Talent scouting for SBS hit: on the F*ck Off We’re Full Facebook page
Where did the production company of Go Back to Where You Came From find a 21-year-old woman from the Western suburbs who will happily call herself a racist on national television?
NY Times reviews Go Back to Where You Came From
New SBS reality TV show/doco on refugees, Go Back to Where You Came From, is already getting international coverage. Matt Siegel explains that not all the participants had their mind changed by the experience.
healthcare Why asylum seekers should have access to social media
Dr Vlad Matic argues all detained asylum seekers should have access to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, where they can post blow-by-blow accounts of their daily existence.
Refugee numbers soar to 15-year high
Latest figures from the UN high commission for refugees says that 43.7 million people were displaced by war or natural disasters during 2010, with most refugees fleeing to the developing nations of Pakistan, Iran and Syria.
Guy Rundle: Refugees, animal chauvinism and ALP self-destruct button
Aussie animals being mistreated in filthy foreign abattoirs is an issue that is becoming a licence to withdraw from the universalism that has to underpin a proper treatment of refugees
