LATEST NEWS FROM REFUGEE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

As the national umbrella body for more than 140 organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is actively involved in new research, policy development, information and representation on refugee issues. RCOA is now managing the A Just Australia campaign, bringing together two of the most significant voices for refugees and asylum seekers.

To support our work by making a tax-deductible donation or becoming a member of our organisation, please click here.

Invitation for submissions to 2011 UNHCR-NGO Consultations

The Australian Refugee Rights Alliance (ARRA) is a coalition of Australian NGOs, refugee advocates and academics who engage in advocacy at an international level with and on behalf of refugees in Australia and the region. Each year, representatives from ARRA travel to Geneva to participate in the annual consultations between the UNHCR and NGOs from around the world. ARRA is currently seeking feedback from individuals and refugee community groups on current issues of concern they would recommend ARRA put forward during meetings with UNHCR. ARRA is particularly interested in current issues of concern to refugee populations in the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions. Submissions can focus on any current issue, but should be limited to one page in length. The deadline for submissions is Friday 13 May 2011. For further details, click here.

2011-12 Intake Submission released

RCOA's 2011-12 intake submission brings together community views gathered from consultations involving more than 230 people across Australia’s eight states and territories, feedback from key NGO representatives from South-East Asia and South Asia and extensive research drawing on a wide range of national and international sources. It includes 28 recommendations to the Australian Government on the planning of the Refugee and Humanitarian Program, developing a sustainable regional protection framework, humanitarian family reunion and public discourse on Australia’s refugee policies. It also identifies a number of priority issues relating to refugee settlement and onshore protection. To download the submission, click here.

Manus detention plans undermine international cooperation

It seems the Government's reported idea of re-opening the detnetion centre in PNG may go ahead. This is a shameful proposal. Such remote detention is inhumane, costly and uncessary. We have asked the Government to clarify its plans; will children be detained here, will Australia be expecting other countries to resettle the refugees we should be welcoming, will people be held there indefinitely..

Opposition plumbs new depths in attack on refugee arrivals

Shadow Minister for Immigration, Scott Morrison today presented the Federal Opposition's wilful distortion of figures. In commenting on the Settlement of New Arrivals Report (released by DIAC nearly one week ago), the Oppositon has misconstrued facts and figures in an attempt to score political points. The comments from the Opposition are inflammatory and are not in line with the data or what we are told by our members working along side refugees, former refugees and asylum seekers in Australia.

Increase in long-term detention at heart of unrest

Alarmingly in just twelve months there has been a fourteen fold increase in the number of long-term detainees held in centres around Australia. The Government's recent announcements of tougher measures for those who damage property and the like inside detention does nothing to address the root cause of the unrest and the growing detention problems. RCOA calls on the Government to apply policies that are humane and solutions focused not ones that further harm and punish vulnerable people.

Scrutiny of detention welcomed

The Commonwealth Ombudsman, Allan Asher has announced that he will exercise his 'own motion' powers to commence an investigation into the use of force on Christmas Island in the week of 12 March 2011. In his outline, the Ombudsman was critical of the Government's overall detetnion approach, pointing out the contradictions between Government policy and actual detention realities. RCOA welcomes the investigation and awaits the report and subsequent Government implementation of positive changes to prevent any such event ocurring in the future. Here is our timeline of how events unfolded on Christmas Island in March 2011.

Enough is enough

March 28th marked the fifth suicide in Australian detention centres in just over six months. Take action with A Just Australia and let Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen know that you think enough is enough - indefinite detention must end.

Detention needs overhaul not a band-aid fix

Protests at Christmas Island detention centre are confirmation that the present system of indefinite, mandatory is not working. Frustrated detainees have protested and the AFP responded with tear gas.

Government gets it wrong with more detention centres

RCOA has expressed dismay at the Australian Government's announcement that it will expand immigration detention facilities in Darwin. RCOA believes that the decision to build a new 1500-bed detention centre at Wickham Point and to expand the Darwin Airport Lodge by 400 beds will do nothing to address the underlying problems in Australia's approach to immigration detention. The continued expansion of detention centres is contrary to the Government’s own detention policy for using such centres "as a last resort and for the shortest practicable time". It is also at odds with detention policies applied successfully across Europe and North America which see asylum seekers released into community arrangements after identity, health and screening processes. RCOA's media release on the announcement can be read here.

Bill offers greater protection for vulnerable people

The introduction of the Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Bill 2011 to Parliament is a positive step towards a fairer, more effective system of meeting the needs of vulnerable people. If passed, the Bill will ensure Australia is better able to adhere to its international obligations relating to people facing persecution, torture or inhumane treatment.

Joint statement on regional protection framework

Twenty-one major Australian refugee support organisations and aid agencies have joined forces to call on the Australian Government and Opposition to focus on international cooperation on refugee protection, warning that there is no quick fix to the complex causes of asylum seeker movements. The statement emphasises that asylum issues “cannot be resolved by any country acting unilaterally” and outlines a set of minimum standards to which Australia’s approach to regional asylum issues must adhere, including compliance with all international human rights standards and rejection of approaches which involve removal of asylum seekers from Australian territory for processing in a third country or detention of refugees in third countries. The statement can be read here and RCOA's media release on the statement can be read here.

RCOA emphasised the need for regional efforts to focus on the protection needs of refugees in a statement commenting on an ABC-TV program which aired allegations of corruption in the Indonesian immigration detention system. The statement can be read here.

The Minister for Immigration responded to the joint statement. His letter to RCOA can be read here.

DEBUNKING MYTHS ABOUT REFUGEES

* Do refugees receive more than aged pensioners? - Two hoax e-mails which claim that refugees receive more money from Centrelink than age pensioners are being widely circulated. Both e-mails are blatantly inaccurate and intended to create resentment towards refugees and fuel disharmony. To find out the truth, click here.

* Is Australia more generous to refugees than any other country? - While Australia’s contribution to protecting refugees is significant, the latest international statistics from UNHCR show that the largest numbers of the world’s refugees continue to be hosted by countries much poorer than our own. See RCOA's media statement and statistics.

USEFUL INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE

* For the latest news from RCOA, see our latest monthly bulletin and recent media releases.
* For up-to-date information on Australian refugee policy, see our Current Issues section or view the reports, submissions and speeches in our Resources section.
* To become more active in supporting refugees, see volunteering opportunities around Australia, job vacancies with RCOA member organisations and information about becoming a member of RCOA in our Get Involved section.
* A national calendar of coming events is in our News and Events section.
* For links to useful websites, including RCOA's organisational members, see our Links page.

REFUGEE WEEK

CONTACT US

For media enquiries please contact 0488 035 535

Refugee Council of Australia - Head Office
Suite 4A6, 410 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Tel: 02 9211 9333
Fax: 02 9211 9288
Email: info@refugeecouncil.org.au

Refugee Council of Australia - Victorian Office
PO Box 12597, A'Beckett Street VIC 8006
Tel: 03 9600 3302
Email: melbourne@refugeecouncil.org.au