David Manne, Executive Director of Refugee Legal, called for the terms of reference for the recently announced Royal Commission into children in detention to be expanded to include “all children deprived of their liberty by the Australian Government”.
Until last year, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection contracted Save the Children to provide schooling to asylum seekers on Nauru. Since the end of the contract, attendance has dropped from around 90% to below 15%.
A court case challenging the legality of the refugee resettlement program in PNG has been adjourned until 2 August as government lawyers consider statements made by refugees in court.
In Germany, a 27-year-old Syrian man whose asylum claim had been rejected detonated a bomb after being turned away from a music festival, injuring 15 people. Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated her Government’s policy to providing shelter to those who need it. German leaders are fearful that the radical right will use the fourth violent attack in a week to spearhead a backlash among voters.