Report backs refugee detention changes

Researchers say a new report on the mental health of refugees backs the Federal Government's decision to greatly reduce its use of mandatory detention.

The study from the University of New South Wales examined problems faced by 700 Iraqi refugees between 2003 and 2007.

Co-author Zachery Steel says it shows rates of mental illness such as depression increased dramatically, the longer the refugees spent in detention.

"This is profound clinical depression that lasts for many weeks and people are highly disabled every day," he said.

"Rates of depression up to 40 per cent of people who'd been there for over six months."

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Year in detention 'excessive'
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Villawood detainees go on hunger strike

More than 100 detainees at Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre are on a hunger strike.

Refugee advocates say the detainees are disappointed the Federal Government has talked about change but nothing has happened.

The Department of Immigration says it was made aware of the action yesterday and food and water are always available.

A spokesman for the Department says it has no way of knowing how many detainees are involved.

Ian Rintoul of the Refugee Action Coalition says the detainees are prepared to go without food until their concerns are heard by the Minister for Immigration.

"They've waited a long time for various things, for the Minister to review things, to settle into their new job and still nothing has changed," he said.

"With hunger strikes in detention, people get desperate so... we we've got nothing to lose, we're going to keep the hunger strike going."

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Australian boat arrivals from Middle East

12 passengers and two crew have been taken into detention.

The Immigration Minister Chris Evans has confirmed that a group of people caught illegally in Australian waters last week are from the Middle East.

[However no one is illegal especially a refugee.]

Yesterday, the Australian Navy intercepted a second boat carrying 17 people at an off-shore oil production facility off Australia's North West Coast.

Senator Evans says it is not yet known what country that group is from and whether they are seeking asylum.

However, he says 12 people that were taken to Christmas Island last week are from Afghanistan and Iran.

Two crew members were from Indonesia, he said.

"I haven't ruled out the possibility that these two boats may have been launched by the one people smuggling syndicate, " he said.

"We don't know as yet, but certainly I'm of the view that there may be a connection between the two.

Quote: What about the view that Australia could have created the problem by invading the Middle East.

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Govt attacked on 'asylum' boat issue

Amnesty International: deeply concerned with the government's policy of taking boat people to Christmas Island.

Human rights groups have attacked the federal government over its treatment of a group of suspected asylum seekers intercepted en route to Australia.

An Australian naval patrol boat intercepted a vessel carrying 14 people near the Ashmore Islands, 320 kilometres off Australia's north-west coast, on Monday.

The group, including one woman, was being transferred Tuesday to Christmas Island for processing. The boat is the first to be intercepted off the coast of Australia this year.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans said it appeared the boat had come from Indonesia but it was unlikely those on board were illegal fishers.

"We haven't identified their country of origin as yet. They'll be processed and interviewed on Christmas Island and it'll become clearer then," Senator Evans said.

Amnesty International said it was deeply concerned with the government's policy of taking boat people to Christmas Island.

"The detrimental impact of detaining individuals in isolated centres has been well documented and Amnesty International remains concerned for the physical and mental health of any asylum seeker taken to Christmas Island," refugee spokesman Graham Thom said.

"It is completely inappropriate to treat this group differently from other asylum seekers and it is certainly not in keeping with our international obligations to protect people who are fleeing persecution."

Senator Evans said people were continuing to seek refugee status due to ongoing unrest in the Middle East.

"There's pressure around the world with refugees seeking to find asylum, large numbers of people particularly out of Afghanistan and Iraq because of the troubled situations there."

Senator Evans said the federal government was working closely with the Indonesian government to strengthen border control and stamp out people smuggling.

Project SafeCom spokesman Jack Smit attacked Senator Evans for his "bullying" comments on border protection.

"It's time Minister Evans stops acting like (former prime minister) John Howard, and it's time he stops uttering the nonsense lines of the widely reviled former immigration minister Philip Ruddock."

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Mandatory detention changes

Minister for Immigration Chris Evans is today expected to announce several reforms including a new emphasis on only detaining those posing a risk to the community.

Under the changes asylum seekers denied a visa will be offered legal assistance and efforts will be made to shorten detention periods.

The announcement will include the temporary closure of the $400 million detention centre built on Christmas Island by the Howard government.

Dr Graham Thom from Amnesty International said this will bring Australia into line with other western democracies.

"We are certainly hoping that most of the people in detention will be released," he said.

"The vast majority are either asylum seekers or visa over-stayers.

"This is a very fundamental change because really for the last 15 years Australia has reserved the right to mandatorily detain somebody simply based on their lack of a visa and wanting to keep them in detention for as long as possible."

Dr Thom expects the new refugee policy will mirror those of other western democracies.

"Hopefully these changes will bring Australia in line with other western democracies and into line with our international obligations," he said.

Updated: 9:30am (AEST)

Govt to release most asylum seekers

The majority of asylum seekers will no longer be detained under major immigration reforms announced by Immigration Minister Chris Evans.

The Government will not completely scrap mandatory detention but Senator Evans says the Department of Immigration will have to justify why a person should be detained.

"A person who poses no danger to the community will be able to remain in the community while their visa status is resolved," Senator Evans said.

Mandatory detention will now apply to three groups that the Minister says pose a risk to the wider community, such as those who have repeatedly breached their visa conditions.

"Once in detention a detainee's case will be reviewed every three months to ensure that the further detention of the individual is justified," Senator Evans said.

Children will also no longer be detained.

Asylum seekers who arrive at Christmas Island will still also be detained for health and security checks and will also continue to be processed at Christmas Island.

However, they will now have access to legal assistance.

Refugee Advocate Marion Le says she hopes this means most detainees will eventually be able to be released into the community.

"My understanding would be that he's actually looking at releasing all people who are now detained except those who pose a verifiable, I hope, risk to the Australian public or to security," refugee advocate Marion Le said.

"A lot of people are there for what we would all think are pretty minor breaches of immigration law that are very complex and that most people can't get across.

"I welcome any move by this government to overcome the years of callous misdirection and abuse, absolute abuse of human beings by the Howard government during the years of the mandatory detention regime," she said.

Federal Liberal politician Judi Moylan also welcomes the changes, as one of a group of Liberal MPs who opposed their own party's immigration policies while in government.

"Clearly my view is well known on this and I don't believe we should be keeping people in detention centres any more than we absolutely have to. There may be occasions when its necessary but on the face of it I would welcome such a move.

At present, 385 people are held in immigration detention. Of those, 64 are seeking asylum or waiting for a result from an application for a protection visa.

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Refugees highest level in history: UN

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says there are more displaced people in the world than at any time in history, with the bulk of them coming from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Launching its report in London, the UN agency said 67 million people have been forced out of their homes by conflict, persecution and natural disasters.

In recent years, resettlement in Afghanistan had seen numbers drop, but in 2007 the total cared for by the UNHCR jumped by 3 million people, and the UN says the number is likely to rise.

There are 3.1 million Afghan refugees, mostly now in Pakistan and Iran and 2.3 million Iraqis, with many of them now in Syria and Jordan.

In addition there are also 2.4 million people still in Iraq who have been forced to leave their homes.

1000 refugees receive protection, not detention

MOHAMMAD DAWLAT HUSSAIN is among 1000 refugees who can apply for family members to join them in Australia after the Federal Government scrapped temporary protection visas in Tuesday night's budget.

Previously, asylum seekers found to be in genuine need of protection under Australia's international obligations were confined to temporary protection visas, or TPVs, which restricted their rights.

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Evans, yesterday said these people would gain permanent residency.

"The previous government just left people in detention to rot," Mr Evans said.

Of the 11,000 people issued temporary visas by the Coalition, 9800 were eventually granted permanent protection.

"The only impact of the policy was to hurt these people in the meantime," Mr Evans said.

Refugees on TPVs had no guarantee of staying in Australia and were banned from travelling to their home country. They could not bring spouses and children to Australia and had limited access to settlement services such as English lessons, employment advice and income help.

Mr Hussain, 28, said the abolition was a relief to himself and his sister, who had not seen her husband, the father of her three children, for seven years.

"It's just lifting a lot of weight for me because it used to be very time-consuming and stressful to apply for permanent residency," Mr Hussain said.

The darkest aspect of his three-year detention on the Pacific island of Nauru was not knowing when or if his term would end.

Mr Hussain fled the Taliban in Afghanistan in 1999 and stayed in Iran for two years before travelling by boat to Ashmore Reef, off the northwest coast of Australia.

"We are finally welcome within Australian society," he said.

The advocacy group, Refugee Council of Australia, also applauded the decision.

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