October 30, 2009 – 2:28 pm
Comments about Tamil asylum seekers by the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia, Mr Senaka Walgampaya, provide a strong reason why the asylum seekers should not be returned to Sri Lanka. Is also makes it almost certain they will meet the criteria of Refugee Convention, even if they didn’t before.
Mr Walgampaya, who speaks of course [...]
October 23, 2009 – 3:28 pm
There is plenty more, including some that is more toxic, but the fact one has to search harder for it suggests it is not as widespread at government level as might be assumed.
However, seeing what happens as a result of the policies of turning back refugee claimants is very easy to find and is much [...]
October 21, 2009 – 9:23 pm
It’s back to the future as headlines report on the arrival boatloads of asylum seekers and politicians reach for the dog-whistle. Malcolm Turnbull recycled John Howard’s “we will decide” line on immigration, and didn’t even blush. And Kevin Rudd is not about to be outflanked.
This is an ugly political game, because the only way to [...]
October 19, 2009 – 12:07 am
While the halting of a boatload of Tamil asylum seekers in Indonesia continues to get plenty of coverage, here is a small sample of other experiences asylum seekers are going through elsewhere on the globe:
In Greece – 200 unaccompanied children in detention:
More than 850 people – including 200 unaccompanied children – are being held [...]
October 14, 2009 – 12:50 pm
Two or three thousand boat arrivals a year is not an immigration crisis, given an intake of over 130,000. Amnesty figures show that the bulk (96%) of on shore asylum seekers arrive by plane. Australia could easily deal with the relatively small number of extra sea borne applicants, were they allowed to land in Australia [...]
October 13, 2009 – 12:51 pm
Asylum seekers in boats are all over the news again, this time for a boat that was stopped rather than one which arrived. Philip Ruddock has provided a bit of nostalgia, talking about ten thousand people heading for Australia – exactly the same figure he was using ten years ago.
This latest boat, reportedly stopped by [...]
October 2, 2009 – 12:50 pm
The slow increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat in Australian waters is creating a slowly increasing number of antagonistic public comments and complaints. Immigration Minister Chris Evans understandably points to the deteriorating position in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan as a factor, as well as noting a “second supply chain” from [...]
September 30, 2009 – 1:05 am
The Clerk of the Senate, Harry Evans, has caused plenty of heartburn to governments of both persuasions during his tenure as Clerk. He has made a habit of publicly and plainly pointing out the dangers of unfettered executive power being provided to any government, no matter what their colour. Perhaps the record length of his [...]
September 25, 2009 – 10:12 am
There is no surer way to get an argument than to start a debate about Dennis Ferguson and people who sexually abuse children. The two recent items that Crikey has published on the topic quickly moved to the top of the most discussed list.
Before I mention a bit more about that, I wanted to draw [...]
August 21, 2009 – 10:28 am
I’ve written recently about the Australian government recent efforts to enlist further support from countries to our north in stifling the activities of people smugglers.
Reports continue to appear of dreadful conditions and treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in those same countries, such as Malaysia and Thailand.
Another recent example, reported in the Bangkok-based newspaper, The [...]
