Castan Centre for Human Rights Law

Tag: boat people

  • The High Court reminds us that immigration detention is not simply at the government’s pleasure

    By Patrick Emerton The High Court’s most recent immigration decision reminds us that Australia’s system of immigration detention should not be regarded as just another tool of government policy. It is exceptional, not only politically but also legally. The decision also reminds us both of what the law can offer in pursuit of justice, and…

  • Looking beyond Australia’s debate about asylum to better regional answers for refugees

    Guest Blogger: Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia The current international refugee situation is one of the most challenging the world has ever seen. Statistics recently released by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) show that the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide has now topped 50 million, the highest level…

  • PNG plan: cruel to be … cruel

    The PNG solution: cruel to be … cruel By Sarah Joseph, Monash University While the government might not show humanity in asylum seeker policy, there is certainly a human side to it. EPA/Andra Subhan   Much of the criticism of the PNG solution has focused on apparent inadequacies in PNG laws, economy, and infrastructure in…

  • The PNG solution: as harsh as it is unprecedented

    By Maria O’Sullivan Under the ”regional agreement” signed by Australia and Papua New Guinea on Friday, all asylum seekers who travel to Australia by boat will be transferred to PNG and have their asylum claims processed there by local officials. Controversially, those asylum seekers recognised as refugees will be resettled in PNG, and not Australia.…

  • Is Australia’s new asylum policy the harshest in its history?

    By Azadeh Dastyari Last week’s announcement is perhaps harsher than any asylum policy we have had in our recent history. It attempts to achieve what the Howard government’s Pacific Solution could not: that is, to ensure that no refugees are in fact resettled in Australia. Whether it can achieve this aim is a big question.…

  • ‘Push Backs’ of Boats to Indonesia

    By Maria O’Sullivan This piece considers whether the opposition’s plan to “tow back” boats to Indonesia complies with international law.  On 17 July, our associate Azadeh Dastyari published this critique of the opposition’s claim that its plan is similar to the United States’ tow back policy. For a number of years now, the debate about how to…

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