CURRENT ISSUES IN 2008

Christmas Island detention centre l New Federal Government policy on immigration detention l 2007-2008 humanitarian program figures l Issues raised by community sector with Rudd Government l RCOA response to 2008-2009 Budget l Senate Estimates hearing on Immigration

August 2008: Australia’s new prison-like immigration detention centre on Christmas Island

RCOA’s CEO Paul Power was one of 43 NGO and government representatives who participated in a tour of immigration detention facilities on Christmas Island in August 2008. It provided the first opportunity for many to see the new $400 million immigration detention centre built at Christmas Island’s North West Cape. The visit was organised at the request of Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, who has expressed his wish to see immigration detention facilities more open for public scrutiny. While those taking part in the visit expected to see a new prison-like detention centre, the visitors were shocked by the scale of the security measures, with wire, caging, security grilles and surveillance equipment throughout the complex.

Construction of the centre began in 2005, at the same time as substantial changes to immigration detention were commencing in the wake of the Palmer and Comrie inquiries. And yet, apart from the removal of facilities for children, there was no significant change made to the centre’s plans to reflect the changes in detention policy. As a result, the Australian Government has spent $400 million on a centre which is manifestly unsuited for the purpose for which it was built. After the visit, RCOA and eight other NGOs wrote to Minister Evans to express our concerns about the new centre – see our joint letter.

The Minister’s intention is to use the detention facilities on Christmas Island for the processing of people who arrive by boat without valid visas – people who, in most cases, will be asylum seekers. The existing older facilities on Christmas Island will be used wherever possible. These include very basic accommodation at the Phosphate Hill detention centre (which has had much of its fencing removed), the adjacent construction workers’ accommodation and a series of duplexes and units in Christmas Island’s main settlement areas. The new detention centre at North West Cape, which can accommodate 400 people (or 800 at “surge capacity”) will be used, the Minister says, only when the number of people being processed exceeds the capacity of the other facilities on the island.

August 2008: Burma leading source country in 2007-08 humanitarian program

The statistics on the 2007-08 Refugee and Humanitarian Program have been released. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship slightly exceeded its annual target, issuing 13,014 refugee and humanitarian visas. Of these, there were 6004 offshore refugee visas issued, 4795 Special Humanitarian Program visas and 2215 onshore protection visas (issued to people who sought asylum within Australia). The primary countries of origin for offshore refugee and humanitarian visas were Burma 2961, Iraq 2215, Afghanistan 1185, Sudan 1158, Liberia 410, Democratic Republic of Congo 348, Burundi 303, Iran 302, Sierra Leone 267 and Sri Lanka 243. The primary countries of origin for onshore protection visas were Sri Lanka 434, China 412, Iraq 219, Pakistan 117, Iran 96, Zimbabwe 87, Burma 55, Bangladesh 42, Egypt 37 and Afghanistan 32. Click here to read the Minister’s announcement.

July 2008: RCOA welcomes new set of values for immigration detention

On July 29, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, announced a series of policy changes for the conduct of Australia’s immigration detention centres. While the policies of mandatory detention and the excision of offshore islands from the migration zone remain, the Minister has outlined a set of values he wants applied to the conduct of detention centres. These changes are aimed at ending indefinite and non-reviewable detention and at limiting immigration detention to a measure of last resort. RCOA immediately welcomed the changes, as a practical step towards ensuring respect for the rights of vulnerable people – see our media release. To see the Minister’s speech click here.

February 2008: Issues raised with the new Australian Government by the community sector

On February 28, 2008, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) participated with 24 other organisations in the refugee sector's annual meeting with the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. At this meeting, RCOA put forward 12 key policy priorities of concern to the community sector (based on RCOA's public consultations):

1. The need for Australia to be developing the capacity to accommodate a larger refugee resettlement program.

2. The need for a Humanitarian Family Reunion visa not linked to the regional quotas of the Australian Government's Humanitarian Program.

3. Giving priority to the family reunion needs of former Temporary Protection Visa holders.

4. Addressing the practical problems faced by recently-arrived humanitarian entrants, especially in housing, language learning and access to employment.

5. The impacts of government funding practices on the refugee settlement services sector, particularly the competitive tendering of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) and the short-term funding of the Settlement Grants Program (SGP).

6. The need for significant reform to Australia's refugee status determination processes.

7. Abolishing Temporary Protection Visas and Temporary Humanitarian Visas.

8. Making the Community Care Pilot an ongoing program.

9. Restoring work rights to asylum seekers on Bridging Visa E affected by the 45-day rule.

10. Greater support for alternatives to detention.

11. Increase Australian funding for UNHCR.

12. Positive engagement with the region on protection issues, with regional arrangements reflecting UNHCR’s 10 Point Plan of Action.

On March 18, 19 and 20, representatives of seven organisations visited Parliament House in Canberra to brief 26 MPs and Senators and four ministerial advisers on these concerns. A two-page briefing, prepared by RCOA and A Just Australia, was distributed, giving brief background information on these 12 issues. This briefing can be accessed by clicking here.

Many of these issues are canvassed in RCOA's submission on the 2008-09 Refugee and Humanitarian Intake.

May 2008: RCOA Response to 2008-09 Budget

Download RCOA's brief on Australian Government spending in the 2008-09 Budget on people who require humanitarian protection.

February 2008: Senate Estimates Committee hearing on immigration matters

On February 19, 2008, the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee held an Estimates hearing on immigration matters. The transcript of the hearing gives some indications of the thinking of the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, on a variety of policy matters. RCOA has edited the transcript of the Senate committee discussion, reorganising it into a series of topics relevant to the Refugee and Humanitarian Program. To access this document, click here.