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NEWS + EVENTS

Media Releases

Recent

9 March 2010 Response to outlandish claims about benefits to refugees: update
24 February 2010 Release of 2010-11 Intake Submission: Australia urged to take greater leadership in refugee resettlement
23 February 2010 Entrepreneurial refugees bring economic and social benefits to Australia: new report
29 January 2010 Senator Fielding all wrong on detention
14 January 2010 Joint statement on the principle of non-refoulement and the recent forced deportations of the Uighurs from Cambodia and the Lao Hmong from Thailand
2009  
17 November 2009 RCOA's statement on the situation of asylum seekers aboard the Merak boat
8 November 2009 RCOA calls for a humane resolution to the Oceanic Viking impasse
17 October 2009 RCOA calls for no scaremongering
8 September 2009 Refugee Council welcomes passing of Immigration Detention Debt Abolition Bill
24 June 2009 Refugee Council calls for a strengthened humanitarian response to ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka
19 June 2009 UNHCR figures highlight need to support host countries
15 June 2009 New report highlights refugees' struggle to find protection
11 June 2009 Refugees to share stories of fear and freedom at Refugee Week launches
10 June 2009 NSW Refugee Week ambassadors share stories
3 June 2009 Refugee Week: June 14-20, Australians to celebrate refugees' freedom from fear

19 May 2009 Joint NGO Statement Calling for the Protection of Displaced Peoples, Civilians and Human Rights in Sri Lanka
18 May 2009 The 2009-10 Budget in brief: What it means for refugees and those requiring humanitarian protection
13 May 2009 Federal Budget 2009-10: Common sense changes build fairer refugee determination process
12 May 2009 Response from A Just Australia and the Refugee Council of Australia to 1st Report of the Joint Standing Committee Inquiry into Immigration Detention
20 April 2009 Refugee Council calls for humane and moral response to unauthorised boat arrivals
17 April 2009 Refugee Council calls for rational public debate in wake of asylum seeker boat tragedy
6 February 2009 Over 90 organisations worldwide call for Rohingya and Bangladeshi protection

For more media information for Refugee Week 14-20 June 2009 go to Refugee Week Information for the media

2008

9 December 2008 Letter to West Australian - Phillip Ruddock's TPV claim false
8 December 2008 Opposition rewrites history with claims about temporary protection
16 August 2008 New high security detention centre unsuitable for asylum seekers
29 July 2008 Detention changes help to restore Australia's human rights record
11 July 2008 Proust report release a valuable step in dialogue about asylum changes
25 June 2008 Letter to Courier Mail - No plan to give illegal migrants the dole
11 June 2008 NSW launch of Refugee Week: Les Murray AM - a refugee kid who became Australia's face of football
5 June 2008 Refugee Week - June 15-21, 2008: A Place to Call Home
13 May 2008 Ending Temporary Protection: another step in vital reforms
13 May 2008 Controversy highlights need to reform refugee determination system
8 Feb 2008 Closure of Nauru detention centre welcomed

2007

10 Dec 2007 Refugee Council welcomes beginning of the end of the 'Pacific Solution'
2 Oct 2007 Kevin Andrews' comments on African intake undermine refugee program
2 Oct 2007 Response to outlandish claims about benefits to refugees
12 Sept 2007 Decision on 72 asylum seekers on Nauru welcomed
17 August 2007 Refugee Council welcomes closure of Baxter Detention Centre
14 June 2007 Refugee Week marks contribution of young refugees
9 May 2007 Refugee Council response to 2007-08 Federal Budget
9 May 2007 Steps towards resettling asylum seekers from Indonesia welcomed
18 Apr 2007 Asylum swap with US denies Australia's regional obligations
28 Mar 2007 Denial of legal help on Nauru increases chance of people being returned to persecution
15 Mar 2007 Nauru decision another sorry chapter in Australia's treatment of asylum seekers
26 Feb 2007 RCOA's key concerns about Sri Lankan asylum seekers on Christmas Island
24 Feb 2007 Call for fair hearing for Sri Lankan asylum seekers
5 Feb 2007 RCOA seeks Government assurance on African refugee resettlement
17 Jan 2007 RCOA welcomes Tamworth Council's review of decision on refugee resettlement

2006

15 Dec 2006 Call for Tamworth Council to reconsider rejection of refugee resettlement
7 Dec 2006 RCOA condemns Pauline Hanson's cowardly attacks on African Australians
6 Dec 2006 Commonwealth Ombudsman's reports on wrongful detention welcomed
17 Oct 2006 Refugee Week begins
16 Oct 2006 RCOA welcomes Labor Party's review of Temporary Protection Visa policy
14 Aug 2006 RCOA welcomes withdrawal of Migration Bill
10 Aug 2006 Parliamentary vote on Migration Bill diminishes Australia's reputation
8 Aug 2006 RCOA urges inquiry into deaths of failed asylum seekers
14 June 2006 Senate committee's rejection of Migration Bill welcomed
29 May 2006 Call to reactivate Safe Haven visa for East Timorese
21 Apr 2006 RCOA appoints new CEO
18 Apr 2006 Further concern that Federal Government is flouting Refugee Convention to appease Indonesia
13 Apr 2006 Letter to the Editor - Australia must maintain its commitment to protecting rights of vulnerable
11 Apr 2006 Concern that Federal Government's current review of Australia's refugee obligations will breach 1951 Refugee Convention
30 Mar 2006 Commonwealth Ombudsman recommends the release of 'Mr X', the longest serving detainee
1 Feb 2006 Concerning PKK listing as a terrorist organisation
24 Jan 2006 Concerning Arrival of West Papuans
5 Jan 2006 Call for Justice for Asylum Seekers in Cairo

2005

15 Jul 2005 Refugee Council of Australia calls for a judicial inquiry into immigration detention and removals
20/22 Jun 2005 June Detention Reforms
6 Jun 2005

Refugee Council of Australia calls on all political parties to support detention bills
23 Mar 2005 Refugee Council responds to creation of new visa class for detainees

2004

13 Jul 2004

Announcement Welcome But Fails To Address Fundamental Problems Of TPVs
13 May 2004

Child Friendly Government? RCOA Response to HREOC Report: “A Last Resort?”
12 May 2004 Refugee Council welcomes committment to refugee settlement in Federal Budget
23 Mar 2004 RCOA Welcomes Increase in Refugee Numbers
12 Mar 2004 Call for Increase in Size of Humanitarian Program
23 Jan 2004 ALP Policy on TPVs: A step in the Right Direction

2003

14 Nov 2003 Refugee Council Decries: 'This is not the Australian Way'

6 Nov 2003

 Council Laments Disproportionate Excision Policy
20 Mar 2003 Commitment of Troops to Iraq
12 Mar 2003 Forced Return of Iranian Asylum Seekers
5 Mar 2003 RCOA Supports East Timorese Bill
19 Dec 2002 Trying to Defend the Indefensible

2002

3 Dec 2002 RCOA Welcomes ALP Refugee Policy Initatives
8 Aug 2002 Call for a Judical Inquiry into the Operation of the Refugee Review Tribunal
1 Aug 2002 Government Unwise to Ignore UN Refugee Report
22 Jul 2002 A Case Study of Australia's Committment to Families
19 Jun 2002 Council's Declare Themselves Refugee Welcome Zones
7 May 2002 Australia Cuts Back its Committment to UNHCR
13 Mar 2002 Joint Statement by Medicins Sans Frontieres and RCOA: Repatriation to Afghanistan would be Inhumane
14 Feb 2002 Representing Asylum Seekers Honestly
7 Jan 2002 Its Too Early to Send Afghans Back

2001

24 Sep 2001 Asylum Seekers used for Election Gain
19 Sep 2001 Refugee Council Asks for Empathy with All Victims of Persecution
10 Sep 2001 Refugee Council Denounces latest Knee-Jerk Proposals
30 Aug 2001 Joint Statement by the Norwegian Refugee Council and the Refugee Council of Australia
28 Aug 2001 Australia Turns its Back on those in Need- Again!
14 Aug 2001 Time for Alternatives
13 Aug 2001 Minister's Legislative Amendments Threaten Refugee Protection
20 Jun 2001 MP and Ruddock leave out Relevant Facts on Refugees
30 Mar 2001 Anti-Human Rights Bill must be Defeated

2000

22 Nov 2000 Joint NGO statement: Asylum seeker children
31 Jul 2000 Criticisms of Australia's Mandatory Detention Policy
9 Jun 2000 Protests at Woomera Detention Centre
13 Apr 2000 Return of Kosovars
5 Apr 2000 Savage Cut to Humanitarian Program
25 Feb 2000 No Justification to Stop Processing of Humanitarian Program

Earlier material available from the Council.
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