Wilson Security announced that it will end its work in Australia’s offshore detention centres at the end of its contract. Wilson’s decision leaves the government without a security firm for the centres.
The government of Nauru refused entry visas to three of the six Danish MPs who arrived in Australia on Saturday for a long-planned trip to examine Australia’s detention policy, leading the entire party to cancel their trip. Johanne Schmidt-Nielson, one of the MPs denied entry, claimed that the government of Nauru told the Danish embassy that the party was unable to visit because of critical statements they had made about the offshore policy.
Government adviser Paris Aristotle recommended ending offshore detention in order to prevent further self-harm by detainees. He advocated the resettlement of refugees in countries including Australia as part of a ‘regional system based on established human rights principles’. Aristotle previously sat on the 2012 Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers, which recommended that the Gillard Government reopen offshore detention centres.
Jasmine Pilbrow, a 22 year old Melbourne woman, was found guilty of interfering with a crew member on an aircraft. In February 2015, Pilbrow refused to take her seat on a flight from Melbourne to Darwin, where a Tamil asylum seeker was expected to be deported back to Sri Lanka.
The Victorian State Government announced funding for 3000 people on temporary protection visas to study in areas lacking skilled workers, including hospitality and aged care. Victoria is currently the only state where asylum seekers can access TAFE.