Press releases

Government maintains Manus farce as asylum seeker attempts to set himself alight

| October 1, 2016 | Reply

A 28 year-old Iranian asylum seeker in Mike Compound in the Manus Island detention centre attempted to set himself alight on Friday night (30 September). The man, who was one of those seriously wounded in the 2014 attack by locals and police on Mike Compound, sprayed himself with flammable liquid before using a lighter to […]

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Advocates warn against handing refugee settlement contract to Nauru government

| September 29, 2016 | Reply

Refugee advocates have warned the Australian government against handing any refugee settlement services contracts to the Nauru government or Nauru-run businesses. The concerns have risen since the Australian-run Connect Settlement Services indicated that it was pulling out of Nauru on December 7. Connect was contracted by the Australian government to provide services for refugees living […]

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Turnbull can’t hide Australia’s shame – Nauru fathers arrested following kids’ protest

| September 20, 2016 | Reply

Nauru’s detention regime has plunged further into crisis with the announcement that Connect will not re-tender to provide refugee services on the prison island. But the announcement is just one small symptom of a dysfunctional regime. The daily protests in the family camp have continued since 20 March and escalated on Sunday night, 18 September. […]

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Father’s day hijack of Nauru family

| September 4, 2016 | Reply

National Justice Project media release The National Justice Project has condemned Immigration Minister Peter Dutton for organising a squad of Police to forcibly remove refugee children and their family from Papua New Guinea (PNG) where they had been seeking medical treatment. George Newhouse, the Principal Solicitor at the NJP said today that family were from […]

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Manus refugees cannot be resettled in PNG

| August 18, 2016 | Reply

Peter Dutton is desperately trying to avoid the implications of the PNG Supreme Court ruling in April that the agreement between Australia and PNG was unlawful. No amount of huffing and puffing or repeating the tired phrase that ‘no refugee from Manus will be resettled in Australia’ can alter the fact the asylum seekers were […]

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Manus must be closed and all Manus prisoners must be returned to Australia

| August 17, 2016 | Reply

The Refugee Action Coalition welcomes the announcement from PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill that the Manus Island detention will be closed soon. But the victims of the unlawful transfer and detention have already been waiting since the 26 April for both the Australian and PNG government to comply with the Supreme Court orders that Manus […]

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Advocates call for Immigration Minister’s resignation after shameful comments about Nauru self-immolation

| August 11, 2016 | Reply

The Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, has once again shamed himself and disgraced his office with unsubstantiated, ill-considered and offensive claims about refugees. The Minister is quoted as telling 2GB radio, “Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and people have self-immolated in an effort to get to Australia. Certainly some have made […]

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Step up the pressure: Rally to close the camps, bring them here

| August 9, 2016 | Reply

1pm Saturday 27 August, Sydney Town Hall

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Pakistan agrees to repatriate Manus refugee body

| August 5, 2016 | Reply

The Australian Pakistan embassy has agreed to take responsibility to arrange for Kamil Hussain’s body to be repatriated to Pakistan. A letter from the Pakistan embassy has been sent to the Australian and PNG Immigration offices notifying them that they will organise for Kamil’s body to be sent home. The embassy has also notified PNG […]

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Pakistan agrees to repatriate Manus refugee body

| August 5, 2016 | Reply

The Australian Pakistan embassy has agreed to take responsibility to arrange for Kamil Hussain’s body to be repatriated to Pakistan. A letter from the Pakistan embassy has been sent to the Australian and PNG Immigration offices notifying them that they will organise for Kamil’s body to be sent home. The embassy has also notified PNG […]

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