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Articles not written by the Romero Centre do not necessarily express the views of the Romero Centre.Australian Human Rights Commission
2009
Immigration detention and offshore processing on Christmas Island
The Australian Human Rights Commission has reported on the July 2009 visit to Australia's immigration detention facilities on Christmas Island. We have included the summary and the recommendations here.
The summary and recommendations have been approved by the Australian Human rights Commission to appear on our site. If you are interested in reading the full report or the response from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship please follow this link: Immigration detention and offshore processing on Christmas Island or download the pdf version
The Indonesian Solution Fact Sheet - by Project Safecom
Visit http://www.safecom.org.au/ »
After almost four weeks of refusing to leave, the 78 Tamil asylum seekers onboard the Australian customs ship, the "Ocean Viking", are now in a detention centre at Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia. Women and children are being housed within the detention centre.
In a fantastic victory, they have been promised that those with UNHCR status (i.e. the 37 who hold UNHCR refugee cards) will be resettled in Australia with 4-6 weeks. Others found to be refugees will be resettled within 12 weeks. Some have been stranded in Indonesia for over four years.
Read the full fact sheet by Project Safecom »
Comment on 'The Human Tide', 60 Minutes: 25 October 2009
October 2009
I am writing to comment on the 60 Minutes segment, "The Human Tide", aired on 25 October 2009. The plight of 10.5 million refugees and 26 million internally displaced persons worldwide is a notoriously complex and challenging problem.1 While the Australian government has a right to maintain sovereignty of its borders, as a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, it also has a duty to humanely process the claims of those seeking our protection. The issue of refugees has already bitterly divided Australia during the Howard years and brought international condemnation for abuses of human rights. I argue that 60 Minutes presented a polemic view. Within its broader focus on people smuggling, it used language which once again incites a climate of irrational hostility towards asylum seekers and perpetuates an ignorance of the plight of extremely vulnerable human beings.
Read the full comment »
Media Release: Bringing back a Temporary Protection Visa will deliver misery to refugees and shame to Australia
December, 2009
The Romero Centre has been working with refugees who arrive in Australia by boat since 2000. The soul-destroying legacy of the Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) is seen by staff at the Romero Centre on a daily basis. The TPV delivered to refugees a miserly version of the protection and security to which they are morally and legally entitled. TPV's made the prospect of settling in Australia more difficult and tarnished Australia's reputation of a country that believes in a fair go for all.
Read the full media release »
Common Sense Changes Build Fairer Refugee Determination Process
May, 2009Changes announced in the 2009-10 Federal Budget will help to produce a fairer and more streamlined system of determining refugee status, the Refugee Council of Australia says. Read the RCOA Federal Budget Comment »
Refugee Boat Explosion - Romero Centre's Public Statement
April, 2009The tragic deaths and injuries suffered last week by asylum seekers aboard the ‘SIEV-36’ highlights the terrible risk people are prepared to take in order to secure their lives and a safer future... Read the Romero Centre's official public statement »
Seeking an alternative to life in limbo
April, 2009Facing an uncertain future in Indonesia, it's hardly surprising that some refugees and asylum seekers try to continue on to Australia, writes Savitri Taylor
FECCA Media Release
April, 2009The Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) cautions Australians to maintain a level and balanced perspective on asylum seekers.
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