A Canberra law firm representing a number of Commonwealth Games athletes seeking asylum in Australia said that the Department of Home Affairs rejected requests by their clients to postpone protection visa interviews so they could access psychological counselling.
A report by the Australian National Audit Office found that the merger between the departments of Immigration and Customs to create the Australian Border Force had not delivered expected budget savings or promised benefits. The report also stated that 'urgent and significant action' was needed to address the department's ongoing record keeping problems.
$70 million in compensation was paid to former Manus Island detainees, bringing Australia's largest human rights class action settlement closer to an end. The class action was settled a year ago without any admission of liability by the Australian Government.
The Australian reported that the Labor Party is facing a ‘grassroots revolt’ over refugee policy ahead of its NSW conference on June 30, with city and country branches of the party lobbying for changes to Australia’s offshore system.
In international news, more than 100 people died attempting to reach Europe after their boat sank off the coast of Tunisia. More than 65 others were rescued by the coast guard. The International Organization for Migration said the shipwreck was the most deadly in the Mediterranean Sea since February 2, when 90 people drowned off the coast of Libya.