Refugee Status Determination Policy and Practice: The Australian Experience
Refugee Status Determination Policy and Practice: The Australian Experience

Author(s): Petra Playfair, Adriana Mercado
Subject(s): Politics, Geography, Regional studies, Security and defense, Policy, planning, forecast and speculation, Migration Studies
Published by: Transnational Press London
Keywords: Australia-migration; boat people policy; border control; detention; forced migration; refugees;
Summary/Abstract: “Migration is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety and a better future. It is part of the social fabric, part of our very make up as a human family.” (Ban Ki-moon) Forced migration is the coerced movement of people from their country of nationality or habitual residence. The phenomenon presents challenges which affect the individual, their receiving communities, and then become a highly-politicalized issue which transcends borders. Although Australia has historically been built on migration flows, its island-nature underpins a national psyche of rigorous border control, clearly contrasting the European situation where flows of people have been a constant theme throughout history. We explore Australia’s approach to dealing with those forced migrants who have arrived by boat without a valid visa (thus, "unauthorized maritime arrivals"), detailing a) the impact of policies and law, b) the practical disorder following certain policy application, c) the financial and human cost, d) the juxtaposition of Australia’s current policy, which acts to deter "unauthorized maritime arrivals" while simultaneously increasing the number of authorized refugee arrivals in response to acknowledged human crises. Finally, we explore the repercussions that arise when a human issue becomes a political tool.

• Details
• Contents