In the media
In Court
Around 1,000 asylum seekers were given two weeks notice to prepare for their asylum interviews after waiting for up to eight years. The Federal Court ruled that people who were taken to Ashmore Reef – so they could be declared ‘offshore entry people’ before their transfer to the mainland – do not require Ministerial approval to apply for protection or to renew their temporary protection.
PNG and Nauru
A multinational company that secured a $121 million contract for services to refugees in PNG billed the Australian government $75 per hour for local wages, while they actually paid just $8 per hour.
Resettlement
Bendigo residents launched a campaign to emulate other regional cities that have raised funds to sponsor Canadian resettlement applications for refugees still held in Nauru and PNG. More than 140 refugees have been approved for resettlement, with many more waiting for a chance to apply. As the USA resettlement program nears its conclusion, New Zealand has again confirmed its resettlement offer stands.
International
WHO research found that millions of asylum seekers, refugees and displaced people have been excluded from national vaccination programs. An exodus of around 15,000 people from Myanmar into India has strained food and shelter supply. Denmark and Rwanda signed an MOU that has been interpreted as a first step in negotiating an offshore processing operation for Denmark. Legal action was launched against the EU coastguard Frontex on accusations of breaching international law in its handling of people who attempt to enter Europe by boat. The USA increased its annual quota for refugees. A noticeable rise in boatloads of lone children destined for Europe has authorities worried.
In policy
The Federal Government, with the support of the opposition, passed legislation to legalise the indefinite detention of people who have had their visas revoked and cannot be deported due to the common law principle of non-refoulement. The legislation has been condemned by legal and human rights organisations and the realities of indefinite immigration detention were discussed in a podcast interview. The Monthly explored the impact of the policy of temporary protection on the lives of people who have sought protection in Australia. The Refugee Council of Australia published an analysis of the 2021-22 budget from the perspective of asylum seekers in Australia. The budget for offshore operations equates to $34 million per person still in Nauru and PNG. Meanwhile the government appears willing to include elements of Canada’s program in an overhaul of Australia’s refugee sponsorship program.
In research
A collaboration of Australian universities launched a new open-source database of studies into refugee and humanitarian protection.