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GERMAN CITIZEN HELD IN DETENTION ALTHOUGH HOLDING PERMANENT RESIDENCY
It was revealed that a mentally ill German citizen holding Australian permanent residency, Cornelia Rau, had been held in detention as an unauthorised immigrant for 10 months. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERMENT INTRODUCED THE REMOVAL PENDING BRIDGING VISA
The Australian Government introduced the Removal Pending Bridging Visa (RPBV), to be granted at the discretion of the Minister for Immigration to people who have been in long-term detention and whose removal from Australia was pending but delayed. RPBV recipients are required to do everything possible to facilitate their removal from Australia. In the interim, they have work rights and access to Medicare, Centrelink benefits and trauma counselling services. -
RELEASE OF LONG TERM DETAINEES
Coalition Government MPs Petro Georgiou and Judith Moylan crossed the floor against their own party resulting in the release of long term detainees and the review of future cases by the Commonwealth Ombudsman. -
LONGEST SERVING DETAINEE WA RELEASED
The longest serving detainee, Peter Qasim, was released. Fleeing from Indian Kashmir, he spent a total of seven years in detention. For years the Australian Government refused to recognise him as a refugee and Indian authorities denied he was Indian. He was finally released on a bridging visa only (into a psychiatric hospital) which denied him the right to permanent protection in Australia. -
MIGRATION ACT WAS AMENDED
The Migration Act was amended to allow for the detention of children only as a last resort. In reality, families continued to be placed in “alternative places of detention” (as opposed to “detention centres”) where they are still denied freedom of movement and face strict conditions. -
COMMONWEALTH OMBUDSMAN REVEALS...
The Commonwealth Ombudsman revealed that of those wrongfully detained, more than half of cases were held for a week or less, 23 were held for more than a year and two were detained for more than five years. -
UNHCR RECOMMENDED THE CONDITION IN AUSTRALIAN DETENTION CENTRES BE BROUGHT UP
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended that conditions in Australian detention centres be brought up to international standards and that children be assessed within 48 hours to ensure that there was a real need for them to be detained. -
NSW SUPREME COURT APPROVED AN OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT
The NSW Supreme Court approved an out-of-court settlement offer made by the Immigration Department to the family of Shayan Badraie, a five-year-old boy who was detained for one year in Woomera and six months in Villawood between 2000 and 2002, resulting in severe psychological trauma. A $400,000 compensation payout was made for the psychological harm he suffered. -
AUSTRALIAN FOVERNMENT ATTEPTED TO EXPAND THE PACIFIC SOLUTION
The Australian Government attempted to expand the Pacific Solution. In response to anger from the Indonesian Government over the granting of refugee status to 42 West Papuan refugees, the Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill 2006 was introduced. The Bill stated that all asylum seekers who arrived without authorisation by boat were to be processed ‘offshore’ in places like Nauru or Christmas Island. -
MIGRANT RESOURCE CENTRES AND COMMUNITY SETTLEMENT SERVICES SCHEME REPLACED
Funding for Migrant Resource Centres and the Community Settlement Services Scheme (CSSS) was replaced by the Settlement Grants Program (SGP). Under the SGP, community organisations can apply for funding for projects to assist new migrants and refugees to settle in Australia. -
MIGRATION AMENDMENT BILL 2006 IS WITHDRAWN
The Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill 2006 is withdrawn after fierce dissent from community groups and some politicians. -
CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE ON THE CHRISTMAS ISLAND DETENTION FACILITY
Construction completed on the Christmas Island detention facility. Christmas Island is located 2,400km from Perth, 360km from Jakarta and nearly 2,000km from Darwin. It was excised from the Australian migration zone in 2001. Construction of a permanent, purpose-built detention facility began in 2005. The facility has been criticized by many human rights and refugee advocacy groups as resembling a maximum-security prison. -
BAXTER DETENTION CENTRE CLOSED
The Baxter detention centre closed. -
PACIFIC SOLUTION COST THE AUSTRALIAN TAXPAYER IN EXCESS OF 1BILLION OVER 5 YEARS
A report commissioned by Oxfam and A Just Australia, entitled A Price Too High, found that the Pacific Solution cost the Australian taxpayer in excess of $1 billion over five years. It revealed processing asylum seekers on Manus Island, Nauru or Christmas Island cost more than $500,000 per person, seven times more than it would have cost to process them on the Australian mainland. -
RUDD GOVERNMENT ABOLISHED THE PACIFIC SOLUTION
The Rudd Government abolished the Pacific Solution. This resulted in the closure of detention facilities on Manus Island and Nauru. -
LAST REFUGEES LEFT NAURU
The last refugees left Nauru, ending the Pacific Solution. -
RUDD GOVERNMENT ABOLISHED TPV'S
The Rudd Government abolished Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs). Immigration Minister Chris Evans stated “the Temporary Protection visa was one of the worst aspects of the Howard government’s punitive treatment of refugees, many of whom had suffered enormously before fleeing to Australia. There is clear evidence that the TPV arrangements did nothing to prevent unauthorised boat arrivals.” -
UN COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE RELEASED ITS REPORT
The UN Committee against Torture released its report on Australia, praising the end of the Pacific Solution but also calling for an end to mandatory detention. -
GOVERNMENT RELEASED THE PROUST REPORT
The Government released the Proust Report which examined the extent of the Immigration Minister’s powers when granting visas. -
ELIGIIBILITY FOR IHSS WAS EXTENDED
Eligibility for IHSS was extended to onshore Protection visa holders. -
EXPLOSION CAUSES DEATH
An explosion on SIEV 36 near Ashmore Reef resulted in the death of up to five asylum seekers and injured 44 people. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ENDED AUSTRALIAS PRACTICE OF CHARGING REFUGEES
With the votes of some Opposition(Coalition) MPs, the Australian Government ended Australia’s practice of charging refugees for their time spent in detention. Previously, detainees were expected to pay back around $100 a day after being granted protection. For some people this meant tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. -
AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS VESSEL RESCUED SRI LANKAN ASYLUM SEEKERS
Australian Customs vessel the Oceanic Viking rescued 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers in Indonesia’s search and rescue zone and attempted to take them to an Indonesian detention centre. The asylum seekers refused to disembark and did so one month later with the Australian promise of speedy processing and settlement. A year later, 25 were still detained in a transit facility. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUSPENDED THE PROCESS OF ASYLUM APPLICATIONS
The Australian Government suspended the processing of asylum applications from Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, for three and six months respectively. The individuals affected were left in detention and a backlog of applications was created. The suspensions were lifted on 6 July and 30 September respectively. -
REOPENING OF CURTIN DETENTION CENTRE
The Australian Government announced the reopening of Curtin detention centre despite it being criticised as one of the country’s most isolated and punitive facilities. -
JULIA GILLARD ANNOUNCEMENT
Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the ALP Government’s intention to work towards building a regional protection framework in the Asia-Pacific, including the establishment of a regional processing centre in Timor-Leste “for the purpose of receiving and processing irregular entrants to the region”. The centre was never established. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Australian Government announced that it would begin moving children and vulnerable family groups out of immigration detention facilities and into community-based accommodation. -
ASYLUM SEEKERS DENIED PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS
The High Court ruled that two Sri Lankan asylum seekers were denied procedural fairness in the review of their claims under the processing arrangements which applied to asylum seekers who entered Australia through an excised offshore territory. The Court declared that any review of a refugee status assessment must be bound by the provisions of the Migration Act and the decisions of Australian courts. -
A BOAT FOUNDERED OFF THE COAST OF CHRISTMAS ISLAND
A boat carrying people seeking asylum (SIEV 221) foundered off the coast of Christmas Island. 42 people were rescued but up to 50 asylum seekers were believed to have drowned in the accident. -
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO THE REFUGEE DETERMINATION SYSTEM
In response to the High Court decision of 11 November 2010, the Government announced changes to the refugee determination system for asylum seekers arriving in excised territories. Under the new system, asylum seekers refused protection had access to judicial review in situations where an error in legal reasoning occurred or where procedural fairness been denied. They continued to lack access to the mainland status determination process and the Refugee Review Tribunal. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The Australian Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Afghanistan, permitting the involuntary repatriation of refused Afghan asylum-seekers from Australia to Afghanistan, including unaccompanied minors. -
REFUGEES AWAITING ASIO SECURITY ASSESSMENT
It was revealed that there were 900 people in detention who have been found to be refugees but were awaiting an ASIO security assessment, for which there are no time limits. -
PEACEFUL PROTESTS TURN INTO WIDESPREAD UNREST
Peaceful protests at the North West Point detention centre on Christmas Island turned into widespread unrest. The Australian Federal Police took control of the centre using tear gas and rubber bullets. The Minister for Immigration established an independent inquiry into the protests and the Commonwealth Ombudsman later announced use of his own powers to also investigate the incident and its causes. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Australian Government announced the expansion of the Darwin Airport lodge as a detention facility and the construction of a new 1,500 person facility at Wickham Point, an industrial area 35km from Darwin. -
5TH DEATH
The fifth death in immigration detention in six months occurs. -
PROTESTS, HUNGER STRIKES AND UNREST
Protests, hunger strikes and unrest in many detention centres occur across Australia. The Minister for Immigration proposes changes to the Migration Act that would see a person in detention convicted of any crime (such as damage to Commonwealth property at a detention centre) be denied permanent protection on character grounds. Prior to the changes, the conviction must have involved a sentence of over 12 months for such a finding to be made. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Australian Government announced an arrangement with the Malaysian Government whereby 800 asylum seekers who arrived by boat in Australia would be transferred to Malaysia, in return for Australia resettling 4,000 refugees out of Malaysia over the next four years. -
PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA ESTABLISHED THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE
The Parliament of Australia established the Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Immigration Detention Network to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into Australia’s immigration detention system. -
A RESEARCH REPORT BY ONE OF AUSTRALIAS LEADING DEMOGRAPHERS WAS RELEASED
A research report by Dr Graeme Hugo, one of Australia’s leading demographers, was released, highlighting the many economic, civic and social contributions made by refugees and humanitarian entrants to Australian society. -
MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION ANNOUNCEMENT
The Minister for Immigration announced that 62 per cent of children in immigration detention had been moved into community-based arrangements. He also announced the closure of the detention facilities at the Virginia Palms in Brisbane and the Asti Hotel in Darwin. -
TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND MALAYSIA
The transfer arrangement between Australia and Malaysia was formally signed. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The Australian Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea to re-establish an “assessment centre for asylum seekers” on Manus Island. -
AUSTRALIANS TRANSFER ARRANGEMENT WITH MALAYSIA COULD NOT PROCEED
The High Court of Australia ruled that Australia’s transfer arrangement with Malaysia could not proceed due to the absence of legal protections for refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS PROPOSAL
The Australian Government proposed legislative amendments to nullify the High Court’s decision on the Malaysia transfer arrangement. -
AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT PASSED THE MIGRATION AMENDMENT BILL 2011
The Australian Parliament passed the Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill 2011. The new legislation improved protections for people who are not found to be refugees but are still at grave risk of persecution, torture or death on return to their country of origin. -
EXPAND COMMUNITY BASED ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS
After failing to secure support for its proposed legislation to allow the Malaysia Arrangement to proceed, the Government announced that it would expand community-based alternatives to detention for asylum seekers, including through granting bridging visas to asylum seekers who have passed health, security and identity checks. -
THE REFUGEE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIS 30TH ANNIVERSARY
The Refugee Council of Australia celebrated its 30th anniversary. -
CHRIS BOWEN ANNOUNCES THE FIRST GROUP OF ASYLUM SEEKERS WOULD BE RELEASED
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen announced that the first group of asylum seekers in detention would soon be released on bridging visas. He also announced that asylum claims would be processed under a single system regardless of whether asylum seekers arrived by boat or plane. -
UNHCR HOSTED A MINISTERIAL LEVEL MEETING
UNHCR hosted a ministerial-level meeting in Geneva to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Statelessness Convention. The meeting resulted in a number of significant breakthroughs on statelessness, with 20 countries pledging to ratify one or both of the two key Conventions on statelessness and 25 countries pledging to improve protections for stateless people. -
RULING REMOVED BARRIER OF FAMILY REUNION FACED BY UNACCOMPANIED MINORS
The High Court of Australia ruled that it was not a requirement for the grant of a Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) visa for the sponsor to be under 18 both at the time of application and the time of decision. The ruling removed the barrier to family reunion faced by unaccompanied minors who applied to sponsor their parents for resettlement but turned 18 before a decision was made on the application. -
AUSTRALIA HOST MEETING OF THE WGR IN MELBOURNE
Australia hosts a meeting of the Working Group on Resettlement (WGR) in Melbourne. The meeting brings together 87 leaders of government, NGO and UN refugee resettlement programs to discuss post-arrival settlement support for resettled refugees. It is the first WGR meeting in the Southern Hemisphere and the first WGR meeting to focus exclusively on post-arrival support. -
MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS BECAME A MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIO
Multicultural Affairs became a Ministerial portfolio, with Senator Kate Lundy being promoted to the position of Minister for Multicultural Affairs. -
SINGLE PROCESSING SYSTEM CAME INTO EFFECT
The single processing system for asylum seekers, regardless of their mode of arrival, came into effect. -
JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ON AUSTRALIAS IMMIGRATION DETENTION NETWORK RELEASED FINDINGS
The Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Immigration Detention Network released its findings. Key recommendations included a 90-day time limit on detention for asylum seekers who pass inital identity, health, character and security checks; the publication of reasons for continued detention beyond 90 days; the replacement of the Minister for Immigration as the legal guardian of unaccompanied minors; using detention as a last resort for the shortest practicable time. -
JULIA GILLARD APPOINTED AN EXPERT PANEL TO PROVIDE A REPORT
Following the sinking of several boats en route to Australia and the resulting deaths of dozens of asylum seekers, Prime Minister Julia Gillard appointed an Expert Panel to “provide a report on the best way forward for Australia to prevent asylum seekers risking their lives on dangerous boat journeys to Australia”. -
EXPERT PANEL RELEASED A REPORT CONTAINING 22 RECOMENDATIONS
After six weeks of consultation and research, the Expert Panel released a report containing 22 recommendations. These include: working towards the development of a cooperative regional framework for improving protection and asylum systems; increasing Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program to 20,000 places annually; reintroducing offshore processing of asylum seekers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. -
REFUGEE AND HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM WOULD INCREASE
Australia began transferring asylum seekers to the re-established offshore processing centre in Nauru. -
AUSTRALIAN BEGAN TRANSFERRING ASYLUM SEEKERS
Australia began transferring asylum seekers to the re-established offshore processing centre in Nauru. -
INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO ALLOW OFFSHORE PROCESSING
The Australian Government introduced legislation to allow offshore processing of asylum seekers in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. It was passed by both Houses of Parliament and became law on 17 August. The legislation striped away legal safeguards for asylum seekers subject to offshore processing, including those which led the High Court to rule the Malaysia arrangement invalid. Any asylum seeker who arrived in Australia on or after 13/9/2012 became at risk of being processed offshore. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
The Australian Government announced that it would implement the Expert Panel’s recommendations on humanitarian family reunion. Refugees who arrived by boat before 13 August 2012 (except for unaccompanied minors) will have to meet additional criteria if they wish to sponsor family members for resettlement under the Special Humanitarian Program, and their applications will be given the lowest processing priority. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED AN ENHANCED SCREENING
The Australian Government introduced an “enhanced screening” process for Sri Lankan asylum seekers who arrive by boat. Under this process, an asylum seeker is interviewed by two officers from the Department of Immigration about their reasons for travelling to Australia. If the asylum seeker raises concerns which suggest that they may have a valid protection claim, they are “screened in” so that their claim can be formally processed. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGED IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO TRANSFER ALL ASYLUM SEEKERS
Following a significant increase in boat arrivals, the Australian Government acknowledged that it would not be possible to transfer all asylum seekers who arrived by boat on or after 13/812 to offshore processing centres in the immediate future. As a result, some of these asylum seekers would be processed in Australia, but still be subject to the “no advantage” test. This meant that they would be released into the community on bridging visas but would not have the right to work. -
AUSTRALIAN BEGAN TRANSFERRING ASYLUM SEEKERS
Australia began transferring asylum seekers, including families with young children, to the re-established offshore processing centre on Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. -
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA RELEASED FINDINGS
Amnesty International Australia released the findings of its visit to the offshore processing facility in Nauru, reporting that “a toxic mix of uncertainty, unlawful detention and inhumane conditions [is] creating an increasingly volatile situation on Nauru”. Amnesty concluded that “the human rights of these men are being breached by both the Australian and Nauruan Government” and recommended that the Nauru facility be closed and all asylum seekers be transferred back to Australia. -
TRANSFER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS DO NOT MEET REQUIRED STANDARDS
UNHCR released a report on the conditions in the offshore processing facility in Nauru. It concluded that “the transfer of asylum-seekers to what are currently harsh and unsatisfactory temporary facilities, with in a closed detention setting, and in the absence of a fully functional legal framework and adequately capacitated system to assess refugee claims, do not currently meet the required protection standards.” -
PROCESSING FACILITIES ARE UNSATISFACTORY
UNHCR released a report on the conditions in the offshore processing facility on Manus Island which similarly concluded that “the transfer of asylum-seekers to unsatisfactory temporary facilities, within a closed detention setting, and in the absence of a legal framework and functional system to assess refugee claims, do not currently meet the required international protection standards”. -
NEW RESETTLEMENT DEAL WITH NEW ZEALAND
The Australian Government announced a new resettlement deal with New Zealand, whereby 150 places from New Zealand’s overall resettlement quota of 750 would be allocated to refugees who sought asylum in Australia. The refugees may be resettled directly from Australia or from offshore processing centres in Nauru and Manus Island. The government announced that the deal would commence in 2014. -
INTERNATIONAL TREATY OBLIGATIONS ASSESSMENT WAS NOT ACCORDING TO LAW
In Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZQRB, the Full Federal Court found that the International Treaty Obligations Assessment process was not being carried out in accordance with the law. It also found that the Minister’s decision not to exercise his non-compellable public interest powers to grant the plaintiff a visa, irrespective of the merits of the case, denied the plaintiff procedural fairness “in the most fundamental way”. -
AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT PASSED LEGISLATION
The Australian Parliament passed legislation which extended the excision policy to the Australian mainland. This means that asylum seekers who arrive by boat anywhere in Australia cannot lodge a valid protection claim except at the discretion of the Minister for Immigration and are at risk of being transferred offshore for processing. Previously, the excision policy applied only to excised offshore places, such as Christmas Island. -
AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS RELEASED ITS INAUGURAL VULNERABILITY REPORT
The Australian Red Cross released its inaugural Vulnerability Report, focusing on asylum seekers living in the Australian community under the “no advantage” test. The Report revealed that many people seeking asylum live in the Australian community in a state of poverty, with many struggling to access adequate and sustainable housing and afford basics such as food, furniture and bedding. -
COMMUNITY PROPOSAL PILOT COMMENCED
The Community Proposal Pilot commenced. The pilot allows approved community organisations in Australia to propose humanitarian entrants for resettlement in Australia and help them to settle once they arrive. Organisations are expected to pay a substantial visa fee and meet a range of costs related to the person’s resettlement in Australia (such as airfares, medical checks and on-arrival support). -
CHANGES INTRODUCED IN RESPONSE
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights released the report of its inquiry into changes introduced in response to the Expert Panel’s recommendations. The Committee, which included Members of Parliaments and Senators from the Australian Labor Party, Liberal Party and the Australian Greens, concluded that “the measures as currently implemented carry a significant risk of being incompatible with a range of human rights”. -
RESUMED PROCESSING OF ASYLUM CLAIM
The Government resumed processing of asylum claims for people who arrived by boat on or after 13 August 2012. By this point, the backlog stands at over 20,000. -
SECOND UNCHR REPORT ON CONDITIONS
A second UNCHR report on conditions in the offshore processing facility on Manus Island acknowledged that, while there have been some positive developments, “conditions remain below international standards for the reception and treatment of asylum-seekers”. UNHCR expressed ongoing concern about the harsh physical living conditions, the mandatory and indefinite detention of asylum seekers. -
PEACEFUL PROTEST TURNED INTO A RIOT
A peaceful protest at the offshore processing facility in Nauru degenerated into a riot. Several buildings were destroyed and over 100 people in detention were arrested. On 23 July, a group of current and former Salvation Army staff members who had worked in the Nauru facility released a public statement asserting that “this riot although shocking, was an inevitable outcome from a cruel and degrading policy”. -
REGIONAL RESETTLEMENT ARRANGEMENT
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a new “Regional Resettlement Arrangement” with Papua New Guinea, whereby all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat from 19 July onwards would be transferred to Papua New Guinea for processing and, if they are found to be refugees, face permanent settlement in PNG. -
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE FOUND AUSTRALIA BREACHING RIGHTS
The UN Human Rights Committee found that Australia has breached the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by indefinitely detaining refugees who have failed security assessments. It asserted that Australia has violated Articles 7 and 9 of the Convention through detaining refugees arbitrarily, failing to provide an effective judicial remedy and subjecting detainees to conditions of detention which are “cumulatively inflicting serious psychological harm upon them”. -
AVERAGE LENGTH OF TIME SPENT IN DETENTION DROPPED
The average length of time spent in closed immigration detention facilities in Australia dropped to 72 days, down from 277 days in November 2011. At the same time, however, the number of children in closed detention reached an all-time high of 1,992. -
AUSTRALIA GOVERNMENT SIGNS NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The Australian Government signed a new memorandum of understanding with Nauru similar to its Regional Resettlement Arrangement with Papua New Guinea. Asylum seekers who are transferred to Nauru for processing and found to be refugees could be settled in Nauru permanently, although confirmation is pending. -
OPERATION SOVEREIGN BORDERS COMMENCED
Operation Sovereign Borders, a military-led border security operation designed to prevent boats carrying asylum seekers from arriving in Australia, commenced. -
TEMPORARY PROTECTION VISAS REINTRODUCED
TPV's reintroduced.TPVs allow their holders to stay in Australia for up to three years, after which time their protection claims will be reassessed. As with the previous TPV policy, TPV holders are not allowed to sponsor their family members for resettlement, cannot return to Australia if they travel overseas and have limited access to settlement services. Unlike the previous policy, TPV holders who are still in need of protection after their visa expires cannot apply for permanent residency. -
UNHCR REPORTED ON CONDITIONS
The UNHCR reported on conditions in the offshore processing facilities in Nauru and Manus Island, finding that men, women and children continue to be held in arbitrary indefinite detention and conditions in both sites remain below international standards. Of particular concern was the finding that since the facilities re-opened in 2012, only one claim for refugee status had been fully processed in Nauru and none had been fully processed in Manus Island. -
AUSTRALIAN SENATE PASSED A DISALLOWANCE
The Australian Senate passed a disallowance motion preventing the reintroduction of TPVs. -
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA RELEASED A REPORT
Amnesty International Australia released a report of its visit to the offshore processing facility in Manus Island. Entitled This is Breaking People, the report asserts that offshore processing in Papua New Guinea “has resulted in a host of human rights violations” and recommends that the Manus Island facility be closed and all asylum seekers be transferred back to Australia to have their claims processed. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ISSUED A REGULATION
In response to the disallowance of TPVs, the Australian Government issued a regulation which renders refugees who arrive by boat ineligible for a permanent Protection Visa. -
MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION ISSUED A DIRECTIVE
The Minister of Immigration issued a directive specifying that family visa applications lodged by refugees who arrived by boat should be the lowest processing priority, meaning that they have virtually no chance of success. -
TEMPORARY HUMANITARIAN CONCERN VISAS
In another response to the disallowance of TPVs, the Australian Government began to grant Temporary Humanitarian Concern visas to refugees who arrived by boat, as an alternative to TPVs. THCs were originally introduced in 2000 to allow people on Temporary Humanitarian Stay visas who were in need of continuing medical attention to remain in Australia. The conditions attached to THCs are similar to those attached to TPVs. -
GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTED CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
The Government implemented the Code of Behaviour. The Code of Behaviour is set to apply to all adult asylum seekers arriving by boat who are considered for the grant of a bridging visa and “describes the behaviour expected of people who are living in the Australian community”. -
AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The Australian Human Rights Commission announced that it would conduct an inquiry into children in immigration detention, to investigate the ways in which life in closed immigration detention facilities affects the health, wellbeing and development of children. The inquiry coincided with the ten-year anniversary of the Commission’s landmark report, A Last Resort? At the time of the announcement, more than 1,000 children were detained in closed facilities. -
PEACEFUL PROTESTS TURNED INTO VIOLENT RIOT
Peaceful protests by asylum seekers detained in the Manus Island facility turned into a violent riot. Security guards and police stormed the facility attacking asylum seekers, including people who had not been involved in the protests. One asylum seeker, Reza Berati, was beaten to death and over 60 others were injured, some of them seriously. -
SCOTT MORRISON ANNOUNCMENT
Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison, announced that asylum seekers who arrived in Australia without valid visas are no longer eligible for government-funded legal advice. Asylum seekers who arrive with valid visas, and asylum seekers who arrived by boat and have been identified as vulnerable by the Department of Immigration are eligible for free legal advice only at the primary stage of decision-making. -
CORE FUNDING TO THE REFUGEE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA CUT
The Australian Government cut core funding to the Refugee Council of Australia, the national umbrella body for refugees and the organisations and individuals who support them, despite allocating $140,000 just two weeks before in its Budget. -
SRI LANKAN ASYLUM SEEKERS INTERCEPTED BY AUSTRALIA
The Australian navy intercepted a boat carrying 157 Sri Lankan asylum seekers. The boat reported to have left India for Australia two weeks before. The interception of the boat was the beginning of a period of controversy and political tension. The Government considered returning the asylum seekers to India, including by inviting Indian consular officials to meet with the asylum seekers and training some asylum seekers to operate the “unsinkable” lifeboats used in turnback operations. -
IRANIAN ASYLUM SEEKER DIES
Hamid Khazaei, an Iranian asylum seeker living on Manus Island, died from a sepsis infection three weeks after he cut his foot at the detention centre. Inadequate medical care in Manus Island and PNG and delayed medical evacuation were later reported to have contributed to Mr Khazaei’s death. -
AUSTRALIA AND CAMBODIA SIGN A DEAL
The Australian and Cambodian governments signed a deal under which people on Nauru who are found to be refugees are to be resettled in Cambodia. The deal included the allocation of $40 million in aid money to Cambodia, as well as an allocation of $15.5 million to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to handle the resettlement. -
SCOTT MORRISON ANNOUNCEMENT
Scott Morrison announced that asylum seekers who have registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Indonesia after 1 July 2014 will no longer be able to be resettled under Australia’s humanitarian program. -
CHARACTER AND GENERAL VISA CANCELLATION BILL PASSED
The Character and General Visa Cancellation bill passed both Houses. It added additional grounds on which an individual can fail a character test. These amendments to the Migration Act now permit (and in some instances, require) the Minister for Immigration to cancel a person’s visa (temporary or permanent) on the basis of character issues, such as having committed a crime or posing some form of perceived threat to the Australian community. -
BILL PASSED BOTH HOUSES
The Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) bill passed both Houses. It resulted in significant changes to the Migration Act. -
INVERBRACKIE DETENTION FACILITY IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Inverbrackie Detention Facility in South Australia, considered a detention facility with more humane conditions, closed and people detained there were relocated (the majority to the community after being granted a bridging visa). -
PROCESS OF APPLICATION OF BABIES BORN TO ASYLUM SEEKERS
In a deal with Senator Ricky Muir, the Immigration Minister Scott Morrison agreed to process the applications of babies born to asylum seeker mothers and their families on mainland Australia and not to return them to Nauru. This applies to all babies born before 4 December 2014, totalling 31 babies and their families. -
MOVED FROM CHRISTMAS ISLAND TO BLADIN POINT
As part of the Government’s deal with backbenchers to support the passing of the Legacy Caseload Bill, 94 children, plus another 100 people, were moved from Christmas Island to Bladin Point detention facility in Darwin. -
FINAL REPORT OF AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS
The Attorney General tabled the final report of Australian Human Rights Commission’s national inquiry into children in immigration detention. The report, The Forgotten Children: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 2014, was provided to the Attorney-General on 11 November 2014. -
ASYLUM SEEKERS INTERCEPTED BY AUSTRALIA
A boat carrying 46 Vietnamese asylum seekers was intercepted by Australia. Its passengers were held at sea for nearly a month and underwent “enhanced screening” before being returned to Vietnam on 18 April. The Australian Government was heavily criticised by other parties for its secrecy in reporting on the fate of this group -
86-PAGED REPORT RELEASED
The Department of Immigration released the 86-page report of the independent review by Philip Moss into allegations of sexual abuse on Nauru. The report upheld some of the sexual abuse allegations in Nauru Detention Centre, found accounts of failure of oversight and recommended greater partnership between Nauruan operations managers and the Department of Immigration and its contracted service providers. -
MIGRATION AMENDMENT BILL PASSED
Migration Amendment (Protection and Other Measures) bill passed Parliament. The new Amendment creates grounds to refuse a protection visa application when an applicant refuses or fails to establish their identity, nationality or citizenship; defines the risk threshold for assessing Australia’s non-refoulement obligations under certain treaties; and amends the framework in relation to unauthorised maritime arrivals and transitory persons who can make a valid application for a visa. -
SENATE RESOLVED TO ESTABLISH THE SELECT COMMITTEE
The Senate resolved to establish the Select Committee on the Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru to inquire into and report on the responsibilities of the Commonwealth Government in connection with the management and operation of the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru. -
REFUGEES ARRIVED
Nine months after the $55 million Cambodia deal, four refugees arrived in Phnom Penh from Nauru. -
ALLEGATIONS AIRED
Allegations were aired that officials of the Australian Security Intelligence Service had paid people smugglers to take 65 asylum seekers intercepted on the seas back to Indonesia. The Australian Government refused to comment on these claims “for security reasons”. -
MRT, RRT, SSAT AND AAT
The Migration Review Tribunal (MRT), Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) and Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT) merged with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). The amalgamated AAT is responsible for the independent review of a wide range of decisions made by the Australian Government, including the Department of Immigration. -
THE AUSTRALIAN BORDER FORCE ACT
The Secrecy and Disclosure provisions of the Act makes it a crime punishable by 2 years’ imprisonment for an “entrusted person” to make record of or disclose protected information. According to the Act, the “entrusted person” could be an Immigration and Border Protection worker, including people engaged or employed by the Department of Immigration. This can include medical professionals, educators and others contracted by the Australian Government to perform services on behalf of the Department. -
VIETNAMESE ASYLUM SEEKERS FLOWN BACK
A group of 46 Vietnamese asylum seekers whose boat was intercepted by the navy a week before was flown back to Vietnam. It was reported that upon arrival the group was taken into a police station for questioning and three people in the group were later transferred to a provincial detention centre. -
ASYLUM SEEKER DIED IN DETENTION CENTRE
Mohammad Nasim Najafi, an Afghan asylum seeker detained in Yongah Hill Detention Centre, died. It was reported that he died of a suspected heart attack. -
IRANIAN ESCAPED THE CENTRE AND FOUND DEAD HOURS LATER
Fazel Chegeni, an Iranian refugee detained in Christmas Island Detention Centre, escaped the centre and his dead body was found outside the centre a few hours later. Fazel was recognised as a refugee in March 2012 but was charged with assault and sentenced to six months jail after an incident in Curtin Detention Centre in December 2011. The conviction resulted in his ongoing detention and the refusal of several Immigration Ministers to grant him a visa despite his deteriorating mental health. -
REGIONAL PROCESSING CENTRE IN NAURU RELEASED ITS FINAL REPORT
The Senate Select Committee on the Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru released its final report. -
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUCEMENT
The Australian Government announced that it would make additional 12,000 humanitarian places available to refugees from the crises in Syria and Iraq. People in this intake will receive a permanent visa and it is expected that they will arrive within two or three years from the time the decision was announced. -
ALI JAFARRI DIED AFTER SETTING HIMSELF ON FIRE
Ali Jafarri, an Afghan refugee detained in Yongah Hill Detention Centre after the cancellation of his protection visa, died after setting himself on fire. It was reported that he attempted suicide and self-harm before. -
CALLED OFF VISIST TO AUSTRALIA
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Francois Crépeau, called off his upcoming visit to Australia’s offshore detention centres. The cancellation of the visit was due to concerns that the 2015 Border Force Act, which sanctions detention centre service providers who disclose “protected information” with a two-year prison sentence, would have an impact on the visit and people’s ability to fully disclose relevant information. -
PAID BOAT CREWS TO RETURN PEOPLE
Amnesty International Australia published a report revealing evidence that Australian officials paid boat crews to return people seeking asylum to Indonesia. -
REGIONAL PROCESSING CENTRE WOULD OPERATE UNDER AS OPEN CENTRE ARRANGEMENT
The Nauruan Government announced that the Regional Processing Centre would operate under an open centre arrangement and the remaining 600 claims would be processed within a single week. The announcement came just days before the High Court of Australia heard a challenge to the legality of offshore detention (on 7 and 8 October 2015). -
DEATH OF FAZEL CHEGENIS DEATH SPARKED UNREST AND RIOTS
The news of Fazel Chegeni’s death sparked unrest and riots inside Christmas Island’s North West Point Detention Centre. The unrest lasted a few days and the damage to the facility was estimated at $10 million. -
DISMISSAL OF CHALLENGE TO THE LEGALITY OF THE OFFSHORE PROCESSING REGIME
The High Court of Australia dismissed a challenge to the legality of the offshore processing regime. The government’s legal victory rested on a retrospective amendment to the Migration Act. -
DOCTORS REFUSED TO DISCHARGE CHILD
Baby Asha, a one-year old asylum seeker child who was transferred along with her family from Nauru to Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children’s hospital for medical treatment was released into community detention. It came after the doctors at the hospital refused to discharge Asha after the completion of her treatment, fearing she would be transferred back to Nauru. Many members of the public rallied and held vigils outside the hospital. -
ASYLUM SEEKERS SENT BACK
Immigration Minister announced that since the beginning of Operation Sovereign Borders in 2013, 25 boats carrying 698 asylum seekers have been turned back. -
LAST GROUP OF CHILDREN HELD IN IMMIGRATION DETENTION LEFT
It was reported that the last group of children held in immigration detention left on the evening of Friday 1 April. A few days later it was reported that at least two children remained in closed immigration detention. Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, later clarified that the announcement of no children left in detention was referring to children who arrived in Australia by boat. -
IMMIGRATION MINISTER CONFIRMS FORCED EXIT
Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, confirmed that of the 30,037 asylum seekers who are awaiting assessment of their protection claims in Australia after arriving by boat, 28,290 people are yet to have their cases assessed, while about 1,700 have been forced to leave or have left voluntarily. -
A NEW ZEALAND MAN DETAINED IN A DETENTION CENTRE DIED
A New Zealand man detained in Villawood Immigration Detention Centre died. The Department of Immigration issued a statement, saying the man is suspected to have suffered a heart attack. The matter is subject to coronial inquiry. -
REFUGEE WAS CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
A refugee in Nauru was convicted of attempted suicide, which was recognised as a crime in Nauru at the time. The conviction followed an incident in January when he tried to take his life. -
PNGS SUPREME COURT RULED ILLEGAL TRANSFERRAL OF REFUGEES
PNG’s Supreme Court ruled that the transfer and detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island are both illegal and in breach of the right to personal liberty in the PNG constitution. The Supreme Court ordered that immediate steps be taken to end the detention of asylum seekers in PNG. Australia’s Immigration Minister responded that the people detained in the centre would not be brought back to Australia. -
REFUGEE SET HIMSELF ON FIRE
Omid Masoumali, a refugee who was living in Nauru for three years set himself on fire. He was medically evacuated to Australia more than 24 hours later and died in a hospital in Brisbane on Friday 29 April 2016. -
YOUNG REFUGEE SET HERSELF ON FIRE
A young Somali refugee living in Nauru set herself on fire. She was later flown to Australia by air ambulance and at the time of this post, remains in hospital. Reports suggest that she was transferred from Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation to Nauru a week before the incident. She was initially transferred to Brisbane for medical treatment. -
IMMIGRATION MINISTER BLAMES ADVOCATES
Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, blamed advocates for a series of incidents in Nauru, alleging they encourage asylum seekers and refugees in Nauru “to behave in a certain way”. -
BOAT WAS INTERCEPTED BY AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES
A group of 12 Sri Lankan asylum seekers whose boat was intercepted by Australian authorities near Cocos Island earlier in the week were screened at sea before being returned to Sri Lanka. They were reportedly arrested on arrival at Colombo airport.