Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Nauru
January 31, 1968 – Nauru gained independence from Australia.
Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru (Nauruan: Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 km (190 mi) to the east. It further lies northwest of Tuvalu, 1,300 km (810 mi) northeast of the Solomon Islands, east-northeast of Papua New Guinea, southeast of the Federated States of Micronesia and south of the Marshall Islands. With only a 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi) … Continue reading
Australia forms anti-people smuggling deal with Malaysia
Australia has struck a series of deals with Malaysia to limit the transit of asylum-seekers across its territory to Indonesia. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, the first Abbott government minister to visit Malaysia, has returned from meetings with Home Affairs Minister Ahmad Zahid with agreements on “operational co-operation” under his belt. “I was pleased to reboot … Continue reading
Australian government stops flow of information about asylum seekers
The Australian Coalition government has shut down the flow of information on the arrival of asylum vessels and the transfer of people offshore under the military-led Operation Sovereign Borders. Despite seizing on public information to attack the Labor government for every unauthorised vessel intercepted over the last six years, newly sworn-in Immigration Minister Scott Morrison … Continue reading
UN says Australia has no ethics on asylum seekers
The head of the UN High Commission for Refugees in Australia has expressed alarm at the “mean-spirited” public debate on asylum-seekers, warning that the nation is at a “crossroads” and must decide if it will continue to pursue harsh policies of deterrence. The UNHCR’s regional representative, Richard Towle, said while Australia had an effective and … Continue reading
Australia’s asylum policy fails to have an impact
It was the foundation stone of Julia Gillard‘s plan to stop, or at least substantially slow, the flow of boats arriving uninvited on our shores, and it had a certain simplicity and logic on its side. If asylum seekers could extract ”no advantage” by paying people smugglers and risking their lives on leaky boats, compared … Continue reading
Up to 25,000 asylum seekers expected in Australia this year
The immigration department vastly underestimated the number of asylum seekers expected to arrive in Australia this financial year, with up to 25,000 now expected – almost five times more than initial forecasts. Last year, the immigration department estimated just 5400 asylum seekers would arrive in Australia in 2012-13, before being forced to revise it to … Continue reading
United Nations refugee agency slams Australia’s tough new asylum seeker policy
The UN refugee agency took Australia to task Wednesday over a tough new policy that allows boat people who reach its mainland to be sent to remote Nauru or Papua New Guinea for detention while their asylum claims are processed. The so-called “excision” rules, passed last week, extend previous legislation which only allowed the authorities … Continue reading
Australian mainland now off limits for asylum seekers
The government and opposition have rejected a bid to open the offshore detention centres on Nauru and Papua New Guinea for inspection by Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner. They have also blocked an attempt to give the Australian media the same access to the centres that it has to mainland and Christmas Island detention facilities. There … Continue reading
Australia: Asylum seekers children to stay on Manus Island despite doctor’s health warnings
Refugee families will remain on Manus Island, despite staff at the camp going public with concerns children were at risk at the asylum seeker detention centre. Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor on Tuesday rejected opposition claims that the government was preparing to move families off Manus Island in response to a doctor’s warning of health risks. … Continue reading
Australia’s Nauru asylum centre faces legal challenge
Australia’s asylum seeker processing centre on Nauru will face a legal challenge in the Pacific island nation’s Supreme Court. The case involves 10 asylum seekers who are facing rioting and wilful damage charges. Australian-based barrister Jay Williams, who is representing the detainees, told a Nauruan magistrates court on Wednesday he had been refused access to … Continue reading
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