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copyright ©2011 Civil Liberties Australia | Canberra, Australia
Refugees and asylum seekers have basic human rights and dignities, such as freedom from arbitrary detention and reasonable access to justice. While being assessed, CLA believes they should be treated as if future Australian citizens, and not as if criminals.
System being gamed? Are Aborigines suffering?
Article posted on Tuesday 27 December 2011Civil liberties and human rights often involve finely-balanced judgements. In homelessness and welfare, resources are limited so tough decisions are needed. But natural cultural restraint can cost some people much-needed help, particularly Australia's Indigenous peoples. A CLA Darwin member cites some examples.
Pillay calls for Human Rights Act
Article posted on Thursday 26 May 2011The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has called for politicians to abandon short term political goals and treat asylum seekers and Indigenous disadvantage through a human rights-based approach. After a six-day visit here, she is also calling for a "fully-fledged Human Rights Act" for Australia.
Read article »..
Slavish response to refugees?
Article posted on Monday 09 May 2011Can the Prime Minister explain how capturing and trading refugees (with Malaysia in 2011) is different to capturing and trading African slaves two centuries ago? Sadly for her image as a negotiator, Julia Gillard dumps 800 captives on Malaysia and they dump 4000 captives on her. The Liberals have a dump-and-forget policy.
Suffer the little children...
Article posted on Wednesday 20 April 2011
The Human Rights Commissioner's 2004 report paved the way for release of refugee children from detention. We've regressed: now more than 900 kids are behind bars and razor wire. It's time for some moral leadership from the top, writes the author of that report, and CLA member, Sev Ozdowski.
Photo: Sev Ozdowski hands down the report in 2004.
10 years and still waiting...
Article posted on Tuesday 02 November 2010"Boat people," then-PM Howard warned us. "Queue jumpers" are not "genuine refugees" Howard's acolytes pounded into our heads. Boats are a "pipeline for terrorists," screamed Howard's Defence and Immigration departments.
Scales need rebalancing
Article posted on Tuesday 28 September 2010There are signs throughout Australia, but particularly in Tasmania, that some long-standing laws need revisiting and reviewing, Jim Collier says. Overhauling the balance mechanism of the scales of justice is an important task for government, he says.
Refugees deserve a fair go!!!
Article posted on Friday 20 August 2010One government department says all is well in Afghanistan, so that boat people can safely be sent home. At the very same time, another government department is issuing dire warnings about how 'extremely dangerous' the place is.
Christmas Island is no cushy gig
Article posted on Monday 15 February 2010People who think refugees do it easy on Christmas Island don't understand the reality of their situation, Marie Gordon writes. She refutes claims of Shadow Immigration Minister Scott Morrison after his recent whistle-stop visit to CI.
Punishing refugees
Article posted on Thursday 28 January 2010Editor, Canberra Times: I agree with Prof Pat McGorry that immigration detention centres are "factories for producing mental illness". But I'd go further. I'd say federal laws designed to punish refugees (for who they are) are similar to the penal laws that England used to punish the Irish for who they were.
Ocean hellhole bulges with refugees
Article posted on Wednesday 02 December 2009Christmas Island is full; the Red Block is over-stuffed; the Rudd Government's promises and policies over refugees are in tatters. Out of this unholy mess, Marie Gordon writes, at least we can have the decency to transfer refugee children and infants, with their carers, to the mainland.
Re-Joyce: Merry Christmas?
Article posted on Tuesday 06 October 2009Editor, Canberra Times: Sir, in 'Asylum-seekers blamed for Island's problems', 3/10/09, Senator Barnarby Joyce, who visited Christmas Island, declared the asylum-seekers "seem very happy here". It would be funny, if it weren't so tragic.
Compassion should underpin our new response to refugees
Article posted on Friday 01 May 2009
New arrivals seeking refuge should receive a different response from that of a decade ago, writes James Dunn, ex-diplomat and human rights expert. Australia has a moral obligation to show compassion to people 'facing the kind of despair we have never had to endure'. (Click cartoon to view)
UN body criticises Australia over rights/liberties
Article posted on Tuesday 07 April 2009The UN's Human Rights Committee has delivered severe rebukes over Australia's recent liberties and rights performance, particularly concerning abandoning some rights, excessive terrorist legislation, indigenous issues across the board - and even the use of stun guns. The Australian Government has one year to report on what it is doing to right the wrongs.
Clark's human rights pedigree examined
Article posted on Thursday 26 February 2009As New Zealand's former Prime Minister, Helen Clark, puts her hand up for a top UN job, how does NZ's record on human rights compare with Australia's, where a bill of rights consultation is just starting? A lawyer takes a closer look at our near-neighbour.
Clarke shows why we need more public scrutiny
Article posted on Wednesday 24 December 2008Justice Clarke has pilloried virtually all authorities in involved with the Haneef fiasco...but yet again no-one is apparently 'responsible' for wholesale incompetence. Buried in the report (pp 285-6) are Australian Federal Police attempts to change the law to muzzle release of transcripts - it is vital that authorities proven to be inept are further exposed to the light of public scrutiny, not sheltered from it.
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