In the media
In Detention
Fourteen men who were medically evacuated to Australia two years ago and who remain in onshore detention stopped eating for more than two weeks to protest their continuing detention. A number of the men required hospitalisation. The Immigration Minister used his discretionary powers to transfer the Murugappan family into the community in Perth where the youngest daughter, Tharnicaa, requires ongoing medical care. Three of the family members were granted bridging visas, but the youngest remains in community detention. Australia’s Human Rights Commission urged the government to reduce the number of people in immigration detention to reduce COVID-19 risks.
In Court
In a 4:3 High Court ruling, the government successfully appealed a 2020 habeas corpus decision which saw a Syrian refugee released from immigration detention. The full decision is available here. Meanwhile the government was ordered to pay an asylum seeker $350,000 in compensation for unlawful detention.
International
As the Australian Government confirmed that it is considering New Zealand’s refugee resettlement offer, New Zealand’s annual refugee intake was ranked 95th in the world on a per capita comparison. In Bangladesh, biometric information of Rohingya refugees was given to the Myanmar Government for the purposes of possible repatriation, without the consent of the individuals concerned. The European Union (EU) incorporated artificial intelligence into its border management program aimed at intercepting refugees and migrants. Denmark passed legislation permitting it to transfer asylum seekers to countries outside of the EU.
In policy
The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) compiled the latest responses to Senate Questions on Notice regarding Australian refugee policy and analysed the questions put to the Department of Home Affairs. RCOA also published its submission to government on how Australia’s humanitarian program should be improved in 2021/22. The Commonwealth Ombudsman published its detention monitoring report for the period January to June 2020. A constitutional lawyer published an analysis of recently passed legislation that legalises indefinite detention of refugees. Australia was urged to abandon using a country information report to determine Tamil asylum applications after a UK court found the report to be inaccurate. As the Australian Defence Force’s withdrawal from Afghanistan approaches, Afghan interpreters have come under increased threat for their work. The government agreed to prioritise their refugee applications, but concerns remain that they have left it too late. In comparison, America announced that Afghan interpreters will be evacuated prior to their troop withdrawal.
In research
The UNHCR published its 2020 Forced Displacement Global Trends report. A study found a lack of suicide prevention training for people who work with asylum seekers, and piloted tailored training for the sector. An analysis of UNHCR’s practice of evacuating refugees to a country pending onward resettlement highlights the complexities of the hybrid model and impacts on non-evacuated refugees.
New releases
A collection of essays documenting the evolution of Australia’s policy response to asylum seekers and the socio-political contexts at each point in time.
A new book by a neurologist exploring resignation syndrome experienced by some refugee children.