Story stream: Asylum seekers and Australia
Updated
The issue of asylum seekers is one of the most contentious topics in Australia.
First posted
Check the latest ABC News coverage
UN calls for probe into bashing and arrest of Manus asylum seekers
Posted
Two Iranian men who were bashed by police in Papua New Guinea return to court after being arrested for a second time.
Topics: refugees, law-crime-and-justice, police, papua-new-guinea, pacific, australia, asia
Fairfield struggles to cope after increase in refugee arrivals
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Fairfield in Western Sydney is struggling to resettle refugees after a huge influx of new arrivals, mostly from Iraq and Syria.
Topics: refugees, immigration, community-and-society, federal---state-issues, local-government, government-and-politics, fairfield-2165, nsw, australia
Manus Island refugee dies in Brisbane hospital
Posted | Updated
The Immigration Department says a Sudanese refugee has died in the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after a fall and seizure inside the Manus Island detention centre.
Topics: immigration, brisbane-4000
Refugee on Nauru claims treatment for severe heart problems delayed
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A refugee in Nauru, who has been experiencing heart problems for over a month, tells the ABC he has been unable to receive much-needed medical treatment on the island and a planned trip to PNG has not eventuated.
Topics: refugees, immigration, government-and-politics, nauru, papua-new-guinea, pacific, australia
US officials arrive in Australia to assess asylum seekers
Posted | Updated
Officials from the United States' Department of Homeland Security arrive in Australia to begin assessing refugees held on Manus Island and Nauru for resettlement in the US.
Topics: refugees, immigration, world-politics, foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, federal-government, nauru, papua-new-guinea, australia, united-states
Asylum seekers 'helped' by playing cricket win national competition
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A group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers claim victory both on and off the cricket pitch, after winning a national Twenty20 championship at the Gold Coast.
Topics: sport, cricket, refugees, immigration, community-and-society, southport-4215, sri-lanka, australia
Asylum seekers in Indonesia say they won't exploit US resettlement deal
Posted
Asylum seekers awaiting resettlement in Indonesia say they will not jump on boats to try to take advantage of Australia's refugee deal with the United States and it is widely understood the route by sea is blocked.
Topics: refugees, immigration, foreign-affairs, world-politics, indonesia, asia, australia
Vietnam boat people facing jail after being turned away from Australia
Posted
Asylum seekers who were sent back to Vietnam during the federal election campaign have been jailed in their home country, a Melbourne-based Vietnamese advocacy group says.
Topics: immigration, refugees, federal-government, parliament, federal-parliament, government-and-politics, australia, vietnam
US 'no dumping ground' for Australia's refugees
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A US immigration expert says Australia should not be "dumping" its refugee problem on America and says the Obama administration may rush the resettlement of the Manus and Nauru detainees before Donald Trump is sworn in as president.
Topics: immigration, refugees, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia, united-states, nauru, papua-new-guinea
Government sends naval, ABF ships to block people smugglers
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Australia's "largest maritime operation" in peacetime history involves up to a dozen patrol boats and a supporting naval warship, as well as an offshore patrol vessel, to create a so-called "ring of steel" to block future people-smuggling ventures.
Topics: refugees, immigration, defence-forces, defence-and-national-security, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia
Asylum seeker lifetime ban in trouble as senators threaten to block it
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Key Senate crossbenchers say it will be difficult for the Federal Government to secure enough support for its changes to immigration laws.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, refugees, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia
Relief then scepticism on Manus Island over US resettlement deal
Posted
Refugees on Manus Island are feeling some relief that the long wait for resettlement in a third country could soon be over, but are sceptical whether the deal will actually go ahead.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, community-and-society, immigration, papua-new-guinea, nauru, australia
Federal Government urged to find solution for all asylum seekers on Nauru, Manus Island
Posted | Updated
The United Nations refugee agency says the Federal Government must find a solution for all asylum seekers held on Manus Island and Nauru, and not just those recognised as refugees.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, community-and-society, immigration, australia, papua-new-guinea, nauru
What we do and don't know about the refugee resettlement deal
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The United States and Australia have agreed to a one-off refugee resettlement deal for people on Manus Island and Nauru. This is what we do and don't know about the agreement.
Topics: refugees, immigration, federal-government, foreign-affairs, australia, nauru, united-states, papua-new-guinea
John Kerry confirms US considering refugee resettlement deal
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United States Secretary of State John Kerry confirms his country has agreed to consider re-settling refugees from Nauru and Manus Island.
Topics: refugees, immigration, foreign-affairs, federal-government, world-politics, australia, united-states, nauru
Labor accuses Government of changing its tune over refugee deal
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The Federal Opposition criticises the Coalition for blocking a refugee settlement deal with Malaysia when Julia Gillard was prime minister, as reports emerge Malcolm Turnbull is about to sign a deal with the United States.
Topics: refugees, immigration, federal-government, government-and-politics, australia, malaysia, nauru
Australia poised to announce refugee resettlement deal with US
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Australia is on the brink of signing a breakthrough deal with the United States which will see almost 1,300 asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru found to be refugees resettled in America.
Topics: immigration, refugees, foreign-affairs, world-politics, federal-government, australia, united-states
We've got time for refugee deal with US, Pyne says
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A reported deal to send refugees currently on Nauru and Manus Island to the US could be revealed within days, with Christopher Pyne saying there is plenty of time to put it in place before anti-immigration President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, immigration, refugees, australia
Australia's people smuggling ambassador has never been to Nauru: FOI
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Australia's ambassador for people smuggling Andrew Goledzinowsk has never travelled to Nauru in the two years since his appointment, freedom of information documents show.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, human-trafficking, government-and-politics, australia, nauru, papua-new-guinea, pacific
Labor emboldened to break ranks on refugee policy Analysis
Posted
Three years after Labor's total capitulation on boats, which saw the party reopen the camps it had spent years denouncing, the ALP has made another important shift.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, refugees, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia
Where asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru could be resettled
Posted
As Labor steps up pressure on the Federal Government to find resettlement for asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru, the Government has given some hints as to where they could be sent.
Topics: refugees, immigration, community-and-society, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia, nauru, papua-new-guinea
Australia's immigration policies make headlines in Europe Analysis
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Our nation has a reputation in Europe for "hardline" immigration policies, writes James Glenday, with several EU politicians and newspapers taking an interest in "Australian-style" policies.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, world-politics, government-and-politics, law-crime-and-justice, refugees, european-union, germany, australia
Labor MPs vote to oppose lifetime ban for refugees
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The Federal Opposition will vote against the Government's proposed lifetime visa ban for refugees who try to reach Australia by boat, with several Labor MPs saying the party will now be quicker to challenge the Government's asylum seeker policies.
Topics: federal-government, government-and-politics, immigration, community-and-society, australia
What are the Government's changes to immigration policy?
Posted
The Federal Government will this week introduce legislation to ban refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru from ever coming to Australia, but how to the proposed changes differ from what's already in place?
Topics: immigration, community-and-society, refugees, government-and-politics, laws, law-crime-and-justice, federal-government, australia, nauru, papua-new-guinea
Turnbull's new asylum seeker laws feed 'Hansonite insurgency': Rudd
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Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says the Federal Government's new asylum seeker laws are designed to cater to the "Hansonite insurgency" and "appease the mad right" of the Liberal Party.
Topics: immigration, federal-government, rudd-kevin, turnbull-malcolm, australia
Asylum seeker ban could affect those already in Australia: Bishop
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Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says contentious changes to visa laws are not aimed at refugees or asylum seekers already in Australia, but has not ruled out that some may be deported.
Topics: refugees, immigration, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia, nauru
UN human rights investigator to probe Australia's detention centres
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Australia's immigration laws will come under the microscope with the UN's special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants arriving in the country today.
Topics: immigration, refugees, federal-government, australia, papua-new-guinea, nauru
'You're cruel': Proposed asylum seeker ban sparks heated debate on Q&A
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Federal Government minister Sussan Ley defends proposal to introduce a lifetime ban on asylum seekers and refugees on Q&A.
Topics: agricultural-crops, women-in-agriculture, rural-women, rural, agribusiness, government-and-politics, immigration, community-and-society, mildura-3500, vic, australia
Asylum seeker lifetime visa ban is 'extreme', 'evil', 'sick': Labor MPs
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Labor MPs lash out at the Federal Government's proposed lifetime ban on asylum seekers and refugees, calling it an "extreme policy from a desperate prime minister and a desperate Government".
Topics: refugees, government-and-politics, federal-government, alp, australia, nauru, papua-new-guinea
Asylum seeker ban won't break international obligations: Dutton
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Australia will not be breaking its international obligations by banning refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru from ever coming to the country, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, immigration, refugees, foreign-affairs, australia, papua-new-guinea, nauru
Refugees face lifetime ban from Australia if they come by boat: PM (photos)
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The Federal Government will soon move to ban refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru from ever coming to Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says.
Topics: immigration, federal-government, government-and-politics, refugees, australia
'Disgrace': New York Times slams Australia's offshore detention policy
Posted
A New York Times editorial says Australia's "inhumane imprisonment" of refugees is a "disgrace", in the wake of a damning report about conditions on Nauru from Amnesty International.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, journalism, refugees, australia, nauru, papua-new-guinea, united-states
PNG to begin construction of new detention facility for asylum seekers
Posted
The Papua New Guinea Government says construction will start soon on a new detention facility for asylum seekers being sent back to their country of origin.
Topics: refugees, immigration, government-and-politics, papua-new-guinea, australia, pacific
Amnesty 'torture' findings on Nauru rejected by Immigration
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The head of the Immigration Department "categorically refutes" new allegations from Amnesty International that the conditions on Nauru for refugees and asylum seekers "amount to torture".
Topics: immigration, federal-government, refugees, australia, nauru
Jim Molan defends 'extraordinary' facilities on Nauru
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Retired general Jim Molan has described Australia's border policy as a "success", saying "most Australian towns would give their right arm" for the medical facilities on Nauru.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, refugees, government-and-politics, australia
UN slams Nauru's treatment of asylum seeker, refugee children
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The UN's Committee on the Rights of the Child slams Nauru's treatment of asylum seeker and refugee children, describing "cramped, humid and life-threatening conditions" in the regional processing centres.
Topics: refugees, immigration, foreign-affairs, government-and-politics, child-health-and-behaviour, human, nauru, australia, pacific
PNG to keep refugee facility on Manus Island open
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Papua New Guinea's Government says it will close Australia's offshore detention centre on Manus Island, but keep another asylum seeker facility open.
Topics: government-and-politics, refugees, law-crime-and-justice, papua-new-guinea, pacific, australia
Where does Australia rank on its refugee intake?
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Australia is set to permanently boost its refugee intake by 5,000 a year. How does Australia's contribution compare to the rest of the world?
Turnbull should drive a regional refugee solution Opinion
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The most significant contribution Malcolm Turnbull could make to the global refugee crisis talks would be to commit to drive an Asian regional solution to the challenge, writes John Hewson.
Topics: federal-government, world-politics, refugees, immigration, turnbull-malcolm, australia, pacific, nauru, papua-new-guinea, cambodia
Australia under the spotlight at UN refugees summit
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Australia's immigration polices will be under the spotlight as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets with world leaders in New York.
Topics: federal-government, world-politics, immigration, government-and-politics, australia, united-states
How I did a 180 on Nauru Opinion
Posted
"I didn't know why they were coming and frankly didn't care. It wasn't about that, it was about setting rules for our country that others should and would follow."
How an Australian working on Nauru started off despising asylum seekers, and ended up sickened by their predicament instead.
Topics: immigration, refugees, foreign-affairs, australia, nauru, pacific
Border protection policies cost Australia $10b since 2013: aid groups
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The Federal Government has spent almost $10 billion on offshore processing, mandatory detention and other border protection policies since 2013, according to aid organisations Save the Children and Unicef.
Topics: immigration, foreign-affairs, relief-and-aid-organisations, international-aid-and-trade, federal-government, brisbane-4000, act
Wilson Security to stop servicing Nauru, Manus Island detention centres
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Wilson Security announces it will stop servicing Australia's offshore detention centres, saying providing security services to Nauru and Manus Island is no longer in line with its long-term strategic priorities.
Topics: refugees, federal-government, pacific, papua-new-guinea, nauru, australia
Government told doctors to cut health costs for refugees: report
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An audit of health care services in Australia's onshore detention centres reveals the Government asked operators to reduce the costs of treating asylum seekers.
Topics: refugees, health-policy, healthcare-facilities, federal-government, australia
Governments urged to let asylum seekers study at TAFE
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Asylum seeker advocates urge state and territory governments to follow Victoria's lead in opening up TAFE places for asylum seekers.
Topics: adult-education, education, access-to-education, refugees, immigration, community-and-society, melbourne-3000
Local Vietnamese community pledges $500k to help refugees
Posted
The Vietnamese community in Australia makes a sizeable pledge of $500,000 to the Australian arm of the United Nations refugee agency.
Topics: refugees, unrest-conflict-and-war, community-and-society, charities, charities-and-community-organisations, immigration, australia, vietnam, syrian-arab-republic, sydney-2000
WA Government opens doors to Nauru asylum seekers ahead of Manus closure
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West Australian Premier Colin Barnett says his Government is prepared to accommodate asylum seekers from Nauru, ahead of the closure of the Manus Island detention centre in PNG.
Topics: refugees, immigration, federal---state-issues, government-and-politics, papua-new-guinea, wa, nauru
Labor confident it can establish inquiry into Nauru abuse allegations
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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten warns the Government if there is nothing untoward happening at the Nauru offshore detention centre "then they shouldn't worry about scrutiny".
Topics: federal-government, child-abuse, refugees, nauru, australia
Australia 'cannot turn a blind eye' to Nauru abuse reports: Shorten
Posted
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten criticises the Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's response to leaked reports alleging widespread abuse of asylum seekers on Nauru.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, immigration, refugees, community-and-society, australia, nauru
Manus Island asylum seekers 'offered $20,000 to go home'
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The Federal Government has doubled its financial offer to convince asylum seekers on Manus Island to return home but no one has taken up the offer so far, Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul says.
Topics: federal-government, refugees, rights, immigration, australia, papua-new-guinea
Protesters at Melbourne airport fail to stop transfer of asylum seeker
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Protesters at the Melbourne airport fail to stop a Sudanese asylum seeker being transferred after he was brought to Australia for medical treatment.
Topics: activism-and-lobbying, government-and-politics, refugees, immigration, melbourne-3000, vic, australia, pacific, papua-new-guinea
Dutton won't intervene in case of asylum seeker student
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The campaign to free Mojgan Shamsalipoor, a Brisbane school student who was returned to immigration detention and separated from her husband after two years in the community, continues after Immigration Minister Peter Dutton refuses to intervene in her case.
Topics: immigration, schools, federal-government, refugees, brisbane-4000, iran-islamic-republic-of, australia
Fact check: Why Peter Dutton's claims on the Coalition's record on refugees get mixed verdicts Fact Check
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The Coalition is maintaining its tough stance on border protection heading into the election.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told ABC Radio that he was very proud of the Government's "outcomes" in his portfolio.
"I can say hand on heart that I've got every child out of detention, I've brought record numbers of refugees in by plane, nobody has drowned at sea under Operation Sovereign Borders," he said.
Is he correct? ABC Fact Check investigates.
Topics: immigration, federal-elections, refugees, liberals, australia
Dutton, Turnbull confirm asylum seekers sent back to Vietnam
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Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Dutton hold separate press conferences confirming 21 asylum seekers have been returned to Vietnam after they were intercepted at sea.
Topics: immigration, refugees, federal-elections, government-and-politics, australia, vietnam
Q&A: Malcolm Turnbull defends 'harsh' asylum seeker policy
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The Prime Minister defends his Government's asylum seeker policy on Q&A after being questioned by an Iranian refugee on Manus Island about why he could not come to Australia.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-election, elections, federal-elections, federal-government, turnbull-malcolm, community-and-society, immigration, brisbane-4000, australia
Detained asylum seekers given voice through art exhibition
Posted
An exhibition in Melbourne showcases the artworks of asylum seekers, including four people currently detained at the Broadmeadows detention centre.
Topics: immigration, refugees, community-and-society, richmond-3121, broadmeadows-3047, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Inadequate care, communication failures in lead-up to asylum seeker's death, court hears
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There were communication failures and inadequate care in the lead-up to the death of Iranian asylum seeker Hamid Khazaei, a coronial inquest in Brisbane hears.
Topics: courts-and-trials, immigration, federal-government, brisbane-4000, qld, papua-new-guinea
Kon Karapanagiotidis labels Labor and Liberal parties cowards
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Refugee advocate Kon Karapanagiotidis speaks about enduring racism and bullying growing up, eventually turning to hope and generosity.
Topics: refugees, immigration, educational-resources, person, bullying, federal-government, federal-elections, elections, government-and-politics, australia
10 things Vote Compass reveals about Australians' views on asylum seekers
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Where does the public stand on the questions of turning back boats, offshore detention, boat arrivals and refugee intake?
Topics: government-and-politics, political-parties, social-policy, federal-elections, refugees, immigration, australia
Indonesia says PM's explanation of Joyce's comments 'clear'
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Indonesia appears to have accepted the Government's explanation of Barnaby Joyce's controversial remarks linking a live export ban to the people smuggling trade, saying comments from Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop are "clear".
Topics: federal-government, refugees, federal-parliament, federal-elections, indonesia, australia
Asylum seekers jailed in Vietnam despite 'no retribution' promise
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Four people sent back to Vietnam by the Australian Government after trying to flee the country by boat are reportedly sentenced to jail by a Vietnamese court despite earlier assurances they would not be punished.
Topics: community-and-society, immigration, refugees, world-politics, government-and-politics, courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, vietnam, australia, asia
Turnbull in damage control mode over Indonesia comments
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Malcolm Turnbull is in diplomatic damage control, rejecting his deputy Barnaby Joyce's comments that a 2011 decision to suspend live cattle exports to Indonesia is linked to an increase in asylum seeker boats.
Topics: federal-government, refugees, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia, goulburn-2580, indonesia
Joyce links live export ban to asylum seeker boat increase
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Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce suggests the influx of asylum seeker boats under the previous Labor government coincided with its decision to halt live cattle exports.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-elections, refugees, australia, indonesia
Australia fifth in list of countries most welcoming to refugees: Amnesty International
Posted
An Amnesty International report finds Australia is the fifth most welcoming country to refugees, with 13 per cent of people willing to accept refugees into their own homes.
Topics: immigration, refugees, community-and-society, world-politics, government-and-politics, rights, international-law, australia
Guards injured on Nauru, Manus Island not entitled to work cover (video)
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Former guards say they weren't adequately covered and are seeking compensation for injuries they sustained while working at the detention centre.
Topics: refugees, regulation, federal-government, pacific, papua-new-guinea, nauru, australia
Dutton defends Nauru medical services after newborn evacuated
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Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says the quality of hospital medical services for pregnant women in asylum seeker detention on Nauru is adequate after a woman and her newborn baby were airlifted to Brisbane this week.
Topics: immigration, healthcare-facilities, foreign-affairs, brisbane-4000, pacific, nauru
Why asylum seeker policy will become a campaign hot topic
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Despite Labor coming under pressure in recent days, there are not huge differences between the two major parties on immigration policy. See where its members stand on asylum seeker policy.
Topics: refugees, federal-government, federal-elections, political-parties, liberals, greens, australia
Dutton rules out appeal on PNG rape ruling
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Peter Dutton confirms the Federal Government won't challenge a court ruling blocking it from arranging an abortion in Papua New Guinea for a young raped refugee.
Topics: courts-and-trials, refugees, immigration, abortion, federal-government, nauru, australia
Shorten defends Labor's asylum seeker stance amid division
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Opposition Leader Bill Shorten downplays internal tensions over asylum seeker policy after Labor candidate Sophie Ismail questions the party's support for "cruel" offshore processing.
Topics: immigration, federal-election, federal-government, cocos-keeling-islands, australia
Dutton hits out at media over asylum coverage
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Immigration Minister Peter Dutton hits out at the media over its coverage of asylum seekers and refugees, saying some news organisations are making the situation worse.
Topics: refugees, immigration, information-and-communication, broadcasting, canberra-2600, pacific, nauru, papua-new-guinea
Asylum seeker policy a 'festering wound that is killing people': Parke
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Labor MP Melissa Parke uses her valedictory speech to attack offshore immigration detention, saying it is eroding our national character and reputation.
Topics: federal-parliament, immigration, alp, australia
Australian and PNG official meet to develop 'road map' to close Manus Island centre
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The Australian and Papua New Guinea Governments say they will work out a "road map" to comply with a court decision ruling the offshore detention of asylum seekers illegal.
Topics: immigration, community-and-society, world-politics, law-crime-and-justice, papua-new-guinea, australia, pacific
Dutton hits out at advocates after refugees set themselves alight
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Immigration Minister Peter Dutton criticises "advocates and others" who he believes are pressuring refugees to "behave in a certain way", after two of them set themselves on fire on Nauru.
Topics: immigration, refugees, australia, nauru, pacific
'We are better than this': Hundreds protest against offshore detention
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Hundreds of people gather in Melbourne's CBD to protest against Australia's offshore detention of asylum seekers, days after Papua New Guinea rules detention on Manus Island illegal.
Topics: refugees, immigration, activism-and-lobbying, melbourne-3000, vic, australia
Loosening of restrictions on Manus Island detainees reversed
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Internal gates at the Manus Island detention centre are relocked and mobile phones banned, after restrictions were earlier loosened following Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruling that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on the island was illegal.
Topics: refugees, turnbull-malcolm, federal-government, papua-new-guinea, australia, new-zealand, pacific
PNG responsible for Manus Island asylum seekers, Dutton says
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The Federal Government says Papua New Guinea is ultimately responsible for 850 asylum seekers and refugees on Manus Island despite PNG saying the group cannot be forced to resettle in the country.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, federal-parliament, refugees, immigration, australia, papua-new-guinea, pacific
PNG finds detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island illegal
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Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court orders the PNG and Australian governments to immediately take steps to end the detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island.
Topics: refugees, courts-and-trials, federal-government, papua-new-guinea, australia
Asylum seekers in Vietnam sentenced to jail, advocates say
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Four asylum seekers accused of organising a boat journey to Australia last year are sentenced to between two and three years' jail, a Vietnamese community group in Australia says.
Topics: immigration, refugees, defence-and-national-security, community-organisations, vietnam, australia, asia
Asylum seeker boat intercepted by Sri Lankan Navy: Dutton
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An asylum seeker boat en route to Australia is stopped by the Sri Lankan Navy, as a people smuggler is sentenced to 10 years in prison in WA.
Topics: immigration, community-and-society, laws, courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, wa, sri-lanka
New Victorian initiative to provide legal aid to asylum seekers
Posted
More than 10,000 asylum seekers living in Victoria will be able to access legal assistance under a new two-year initiative announced by the State Government.
Topics: refugees, immigration, government-and-politics, state-parliament, vic, australia
'Fast-track' process for asylum seekers to result in lengthy delays
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A so-called 'fast-track' process for thousands of asylum seekers who arrived by boat under the previous Labor government is mired in red tape and set to result in lengthy delays as court challenges begin to mount.
Topics: immigration, activism-and-lobbying, federal-government, australia
Iranian refugee convicted of attempted suicide in Nauru
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A refugee in Nauru is convicted of attempted suicide and, despite being the sole parent of an eight-year-old girl, spends two weeks locked up before receiving bail.
Topics: refugees, suicide, law-crime-and-justice, world-politics, nauru, pacific, australia
Government confirms over 28,000 asylum seeker cases unprocessed
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The Turnbull Government confirms tens of thousands of asylum seekers who arrived under the former Labor government remain unprocessed.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, immigration, refugees, australia
About 90 children to be returned to Nauru, Dutton confirms
Posted | Updated
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirms dozens of children will be returned to Nauru, one day after announcing there were no children in mainland detention.
Topics: refugees, community-and-society, children, darwin-0800, nauru
Let Them Stay 'success' as 133 asylum seekers in community detention
Posted
More than half the 267 asylum seekers at the centre of "Let them Stay" protests are granted community detention, including all families.
Topics: immigration, human, federal-parliament, australia, nauru
Some refugees refused asylum over security concerns: Keenan
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Some people wanting to come to Australia under the expanded refugee program have been flagged as security risks, Justice Minister Michael Keenan says, as 9,000 would-be refugees continue through the checks process.
Topics: terrorism, world-politics, refugees, crime, australia, belgium
Thousands join Palm Sunday rally in bid to save asylum seekers
Posted
Thousands of people join a Palm Sunday rally in Sydney, calling on the Federal Government not to send almost 270 asylum seekers back to Nauru.
Topics: refugees, sydney-2000
29 refugees resettled as part of 12,000 intake, Dutton says
Posted | Updated
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirms fewer than 30 refugees have been resettled in Australia as part of the Government's 12,000 intake from Iraq and Syria.
Topics: refugees, immigration, federal-government, australia, iraq, syrian-arab-republic
Iranian asylum seekers fear being forced to go home
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Iranian asylum seekers who fear the prospect of being sent back to their home country are increasingly concerned following a meeting between Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
Topics: refugees, foreign-affairs, bishop-julie, iran-islamic-republic-of, australia
Iran's Foreign Minister criticises Australia's treatment of asylum seekers
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Iran's Foreign Minister has criticised Australia's treatment of asylum seekers, describing their living conditions as "unconscionable".
Topics: refugees, immigration, rights, foreign-affairs, iran-islamic-republic-of, australia
Peter Dutton urged to grant asylum to Mojgan Shamsalipoor in MP's tearful plea
Posted
A Queensland Government minister chokes back tears while urging the Immigration Minister to grant one of his constituents, Mojgan Shamsalipoor, asylum in Australia.
Topics: immigration, refugees, brisbane-4000
Iran cautious on forcible repatriation of asylum seekers
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The Iranian Foreign Minister tells the Federal Government Iran would welcome back asylum seekers who fail to obtain refugee status in Australia, but only if they go home voluntarily.
Topics: refugees, immigration, federal-government, australia, iran-islamic-republic-of
Judge who rejected almost all asylum seeker cases 'not biased'
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An asylum seeker fails to convince the full Federal Court that judge Alexander "Sandy" Street, who rejected an extraordinary number of migration appeals, was biased.
Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, immigration, community-and-society, australia
Border Force denies sinking asylum seeker boat
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The Australian Border Force denies sinking an asylum seeker boat, after reports a group of six men were taken aboard an Australian ship earlier this week.
Topics: immigration, defence-and-national-security, government-and-politics, indonesia, australia
Fact Check: Has the number of children in detention dropped from 2,000 to about 75 under the Coalition? Fact Check
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says there were 2,000 kids in detention when the Coalition took office and now "there's less than 100. . . About 75."
He says the number is reducing.
Is he correct? ABC Fact Check investigates.
Topics: immigration, children, refugees, turnbull-malcolm, liberals, australia
Doctor's letter suggests 'no evidence' baby Asha's burns deliberately inflicted
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Asylum seeker advocates release a letter they say shows Brisbane doctors found no evidence baby Asha was harmed deliberately while in detention on Nauru.
Topics: refugees, children, federal-parliament, federal-government, healthcare-facilities, brisbane-4000, nauru
Baby Asha's family 'blocked from speaking to lawyers'
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Lawyers for the family of asylum seeker Baby Asha say the Federal Government's Border Force unit prevented them from speaking with their client for three days.
Topics: immigration, refugees, healthcare-facilities, federal---state-issues, brisbane-4000, qld, australia
Timeline: Save the Children on Nauru
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See how a political storm surrounding Save The Children staff at the Nauru detention centre unfolded.
Topics: immigration, refugees, charities-and-community-organisations, activism-and-lobbying, non-governmental-organisations, federal-government, courts-and-trials, nauru, australia
Save the Children workers seek compensation, apology after false Nauru detention centre claims
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Welfare workers from Save the Children will lodge compensation claims of almost $1 million after they were wrongly accused of coaching asylum seekers on Nauru to self-harm and fabricate stories of abuse.
Topics: immigration, refugees, charities-and-community-organisations, activism-and-lobbying, courts-and-trials, nauru, australia
Asylum seekers leave Nauru 'black hole' for life in Canada (photos)
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After spending three years on Nauru, a father and son are resettled in Canada. They are believed to be the first refugees from Nauru or Manus Island to be given permanent protection by a Western country.
Topics: refugees, immigration, community-and-society, nauru, australia, canada
