Long-term, often indefinite, mandatory detention has become Australia’s first resort, rather than its last.
Indefinite detention is considered arbitrary – and therefore unlawful – under international human rights law.
Decades of medical research across the world – including studies commissioned by the Australian government – have consistently warned the wearing uncertainty of indefinite detention is deeply damaging for those so held.
But this week the Australian parliament, with almost no debate, codified the indefinite detention of refugees and asylum seekers, including without charge or trial, into domestic law.
Parliament was told about a “small cohort” – some put the figure at 21 – of “serious criminals” who can be neither deported nor released into the Australian community.
The government’s explanatory statement says the law gives the minister oversight to protect human rights.
“The minister has a personal discretionary power under the Migration Act to intervene in an individual case and grant a visa . to a person in immigration detention, if the minister thinks it is in the public interest to do so. What is and what is not in the public interest is for the minister to decide.”
The bill was supported by Labor members.
But rights groups argue that while the legislation notionally provides protections against returning refugees to a place where they face harm, the law, in effect, gives the minister a new power to overturn refugee status in breach of international law, and contains no mechanism to prevent the indefinite detention of refugees who cannot be returned.
Craig Kelly’s controversial appearance on a podcast hosted by disgraced celebrity chef Pete Evans saw the Liberal MP attack health bureaucrats who he claimed were giving “dud advice” to government, as the men bonded over what they perceived to be unfair media reporting.
Just hours after the podcast was published on Evans’ subscription-only website, Mr Kelly tangled with Labor shadow minister Tanya Plibersek in a hallway argument, before he was privately and publicly rebuked by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
“Views expressed by the Member for Hughes do not align with my views, or the views of the advice that has been provided to me by the Chief Medical Officer,” Mr Morrison told the federal parliament on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, little Malco Turnbull little mate in New South Wales, Mike, is about to lawfully (change the present legislation) unleash massive environmental degradation like never before by allowing farmers to remove more trees from their paddocks, while federal Labor wants their mates in queensland to do more to protect nature which the previous Turnbull s mates, the Liberals (CONservatives) under Newman, encouraged to be massively destroyed by farmers. The environmental record from the Liberals (CONservatives) is terrible. So when Turnbull announces some patch up coastal solutions, he does not really want to talk about the real cause of global warming: burning coal and other fossil fuels, especially the mining thereof.
National security vs the public s right to know. I feel we re living in very dangerous times here in Australia.one day we ll wake up and wonder how on earth we got here. MP
In a Canberra court room one of the most controversial trials ever to be held in Australia will soon get under way. The case is highly sensitive, with key evidence central to the allegations unlikely to ever be heard by the public. This could be.one of the most secretive trials in Australian history. Former judge
A former spy and his lawyer have been charged with conspiring to reveal secret information relating to an Australian intelligence operation aimed at a friendly foreign government.