For more than a week, the Australian Government has been under national, and international, scrutiny as to how it has handled two boats of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. These boats were confirmed to be at sea, near to Christmas Island. As part of the severe policy in place by the Australian Government, ‘on waterContinue reading “High seas and the High Court”
Tag Archives: refugees
Australia & Tamil refugees: what the media is saying
With reports that Australia has returned more than 150 Tamils seeking asylum from Sri Lanka, back to the Sri Lanka, the spotlight on Australia’s ‘draconian measures’ (as the New York Times puts it) towards refugees has been in the national and global spotlight. And it hasn’t been ignored by the UNHCR — the United Nation’sContinue reading “Australia & Tamil refugees: what the media is saying”
Gathering for Reza
On Sunday 16 February 2014, a violent riot took place in Australia’s offshore-detention centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. During the violence, a young Iranian man, Reza Berati, was killed. A week later, on Sunday 23 February, candlelight vigils — ‘Light the Dark’ — were held around Australia. There were reportedly more than 700Continue reading “Gathering for Reza”
I would like, Toys for Nauru
If I was writing a letter to Santa this Christmas, I’d be asking him for more Australian politicians like Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. This is why: in my view, no other politician is keeping the truth of Australia’s detention centres in the spotlight like she is. Many are indeed doing their bit but she is challenging theContinue reading “I would like, Toys for Nauru”
Reporting Australia’s social cohesion
Today the Scanlon Foundation, at Melbourne’s Monash University, released its annual research report on social cohesion in Australia. The report is formed from the findings of the sixth Scanlon Foundation Mapping Social Cohesion National Survey, conducted in July 2013. Tim Soutphommasane, Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, was discussing the findings on ABC 774 Melbourne morning radio. Following a yearContinue reading “Reporting Australia’s social cohesion”
Amy Feldtmann 