Labor and the Coalition need the Indian diaspora vote, but the immigration debate has many feeling bruised. By Adeshola Ore, The Guardian

Melbourne-based high school teacher Kusum Mirchandani has called Australia home for more than two decades.

“The migration rallies, they’re targeting the Indian community because now we are the largest migrant population here. I think that’s a bit unfair,” she says.

“It does make me feel hurt and upset … we’ve been here 21 years, and it’s only lately that these things are coming up.”

Since then, the immigration debate dominating the political agenda has only grown louder, with Labor, the Coalition and One Nation all unveiling their party’s plans to cut the country’s net overseas migration intake.

Labor and the Coalition need the Indian diaspora vote, but the immigration debate has many feeling bruised. By Adeshola Ore, The Guardian

Home Affairs 'unlawfully' jailed Australian citizen for 945 days, ombudsman reports. By Sara Tomevska, ABC News

An ombudsman report has set out a litany of errors spanning four decades that led to a citizen's unlawful detention.

An Australian citizen is among 30 people unlawfully held in immigration detention in the last financial year, according to a Commonwealth Ombudsman report.

The person, named as Mx B, was wrongfully detained by Home Affairs for 945 days — two and a half years — due to incorrect reading of Australia's citizenship laws.

Mx B was born in Australia in 1989 to New Zealand parents, briefly left, then returned in 1992, and should have been granted automatic citizenship on their 10th birthday in accordance with the Citizenship Act. But this did not occur due to "poor record keeping".

The report has made three recommendations to the government, including better communication between the Home Affairs Department and the minister.

Home Affairs 'unlawfully' jailed Australian citizen for 945 days, ombudsman reports. By Sara Tomevska, ABC News

The Enduring Effects of Disaster Displacement: Psychological Harm and International Protection. By Jane McAdam, The Refugee Survey Quarterly

The psychological impacts of disasters can be profound and enduring, especially when people are displaced from their homes. Fear may arise in anticipation of future physical dangers, or derive from traumatic memories which are relived in the present. International protection decision-makers have been slow to grapple with psychological harm and its temporal dimensions – even though international refugee and human rights law clearly recognise that such harm may constitute persecution, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

This does not require doctrinal innovation, but rather a more rigorous application of existing legal standards.

The Enduring Effects of Disaster Displacement: Psychological Harm and International Protection. By Jane McAdam, Refugee Survey Quarterly

The migration debate has a big blind spot: much of regional Australia is shrinking. By Michael Currie/AAP, The Conversation

Australia clearly needs a population policy that recognises the mounting pressures on rural and regional communities. As capital-city birth rates fall and labour demand draws young people away, we need frank discussion about how to sustain smaller rural and regional places. Delaying that conversation puts their long-term viability at risk.

The migration debate has a big blind spot: much of regional Australia is shrinking. By Michael Currie/AAP, The Conversation

War prevented these kids from a classic Australian pastime, until now. By Josie Harvey, SBS

A group of kids gathered on a beach last month to take part in Nippers, a beloved childhood tradition for generations of Australians.

But in the three years since the children last met, war has turned their lives upside down. Some members of the original group are believed to have died. Others have lost their homes or family members, or can no longer be contacted.

Australian Palestinian man Shamikh Badra, who brought Gaza its first Nippers program, told SBS News its return was a "message of hope" for children who had endured so much.

"For a few moments, the scene looked simple: children running on the sand, playing, learning and enjoying themselves near the sea," Badra said.

"The feedback was amazing. They were happy, and they said we are so happy that we finally started the Nippers again, and the new children are happy too."

War prevented these kids from a classic Australian pastime, until now. By Josie Harvey, SBS

Clamp down on asylum claims. Presented by Barbara Miller & Annie Guest, PM on ABC Listen (04:57)

Lawyers have hit back at allegations they're gaming the migration system on behalf of asylum seekers.

The Federal Government made the accusation today when revealing new rules to stop applications for asylum that it says don't have merit.

Other changes announced today include slugging international students a hefty fee to change visas and university courses, in a bid to stop what the government calls visa-hopping.

Featured:    
Julian Hill, Assistant Citizenship Minister 
Carina Ford, Immigration lawyer
Peter van Vielt, Migration Institute of Australia
Kalyani Inpakumar, Tamil Refugee Council 

Clamp down on asylum claims. Presented by Barbara Miller & Annie Guest, PM on ABC Listen (04:57)

New student visa crackdown comes with extra cost for course-switchers. By By Nigel Gladstone, SBS News

New rules for international students are in force, aimed at stopping so-called 'visa-hopping' by limiting course changes and curtailing how family members can join them in Australia.

Students wanting to change education providers will need to apply for a new visa, starting next year, which will cost over $2,000.

New student visa crackdown comes with extra cost for course-switchers. By By Nigel Gladstone, SBS News

Labor targets ‘visa hopping’ international students in crackdown on ‘permanently temporary’ migration. By Krishani Dhanji, The Guardian

Labor wants to bring net overseas migration down from its annual level of almost 300,000 to 225,000 by 2028.

Separately, there are now more than 400,000 people on bridging visas, temporary visas that can be issued if a visa expires and someone is waiting for a decision on their next application, or to asylum seekers and non-citizens. A large cohort of these can be international students applying for a different visa – the government is trying to bring this number down.

Migration agents and lawyers selling “false hope” by helping individuals to pursue baseless visa claims to help them stay in Australia longer will also be targeted under new rules.

Labor targets ‘visa hopping’ international students in crackdown on ‘permanently temporary’ migration. By Krishani Dhanji, The Guardian

Opinion : The political battle over Australian immigration is really a story of what kind of nation we want to be. By Peter Lewis, The Guardian

One Nation may have changed the outlines of the debate, but a majority of Australians still support immigration.

Anyone who thinks the current immigration debate is simply about the number of foreigners being granted legal passage to Australia each year is only seeing half the picture.

Beyond the crude numerical projections (that a growing number of Australians believe have way too many zeros) is a more basic contest that is both economic and cultural and is being played out around the globe.

Opinion : The political battle over Australian immigration is really a story of what kind of nation we want to be. By Peter Lewis, The Guardian

Australia is talking about migration – but what do people at the centre of the debate have to say? By Achol Arok, The Guardian

When Shamsullah Sadey, 19, fled Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and arrived in Australia with his family in 2024, he brought with him dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon.

But the high school student is feeling increasingly “uncertain” about his future. He says the recent debate about migration means for “the first time I’ve genuinely felt unwelcome” in Australia.

That feeling is common among migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who tell Guardian Australia they’re anxious and fear being excluded as the major political parties compete on policies to reduce net overseas migration (Nom).

“It’s quite disheartening. Behind every migration number is a person and a family and a story. Australia can have a well-managed migration system while also treating migrants and refugees with dignity,” he says.

“Australia has given me more than enough. I hope Australia remains a place where young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds can feel that they belong and have a future. I just hope that we don’t lose sight of the human side of migration.”

Australia is talking about migration – but what do people at the centre of the debate have to say? By Achol Arok, The Guardian

Australia's cross-border couples urge government to reconsider delaying offshore partner visas. By Doug Dingwall and Erwin Renaldi, ABC News

In a submission to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke this week, a group of partner visa applicants and their Australian sponsors have urged him to explain his decision in July to deprioritise the processing of offshore partner visa applications.

Applicants face waits of more than three years for subclass 309 visas, with 90 per cent of cases processed in up to 39 months, compared to 29 months for onshore partner visa applicants.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson told the ABC while offshore partner visa applications would have lower priority, they would still be processed and granted "in accordance with the planning levels and priorities set by the government".

"An onshore-focused program will support timely transitions to permanent residency for migrants already living, working and contributing to Australia, and further reduces the program's impact on net overseas migration."

Australia's cross-border couples urge government to reconsider delaying offshore partner visas. By Doug Dingwall and Erwin Renaldi, ABC News

Qazwan hasn't seen his family in 16 years. He fears he may not get another chance. By By Youssef Saudie & Mikele Syron, SBS News

One Yemeni Australian worries his family in Yemen can't access food, clean water and medicine — he doesn't know if they'll survive.

More than 130,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since the start of September amid escalating fighting.

UNHCR says its response is severely underfunded and is calling for greater humanitarian support from Australia.

Qazwan hasn't seen his family in 16 years. He fears he may not get another chance. By By Youssef Saudie & Mikele Syron, SBS News

Australia's migration tightening is part of a bigger shift. Here's what other nations are doing. By Alexandra Koster, SBS News

The government's new measures to lower net overseas migration are part of a much broader global shift in immigration policy.

Australia is targeting students, backpackers and overstayers as it seeks to bring net overseas migration down.

Canada, the US, UK and countries across Europe are also tightening parts of their immigration systems.

Australia's migration tightening is part of a bigger shift. Here's what other nations are doing. By Alexandra Koster, SBS News

Analysis : If Australia wants to lower migration it needs more productivity. By Alan Kohler, ABC News

Everyone now understands that growing the economy only by increasing the number of people, while individuals feel worse off, is a recipe for unhappiness and dissent.

Aggregate growth is a statistic, but individual decline is a vote. The political solution? Fewer people.

That's because those in focus groups and answering polling questions complain about how many people they can see, rather than the reason they are worse off: weak productivity, which they can't see.

Does Canada have the answer?

Analysis : If Australia wants to lower migration it needs more productivity. By Alan Kohler, ABC News

Why is Australia propping up Nauru Airlines to keep offshore detention alive? By Nick Feik, The Weekend Point

Here’s a question you’ve probably never asked yourself: Why does Nauru Airlines exist? There’s a simple answer – Australia’s offshore detention regime. Australia’s “resettlement” program in Naoero requires air transport, and Nauru Airlines is the only airline that flies to Naoero, so our government needs Nauru Airlines to keep the offshore regime up and running. But Nauru Airlines isn’t viable as a commercial airline.

Why is Australia propping up Nauru Airlines to keep offshore detention alive? By Nick Feik, The Weekend Point

SIEV X at 25: 353 lives Australia should not forget. By Mainul Haque , P&I

The 25th anniversary comes at an important time.

Australia is again debating migration, multiculturalism and what it means to be Australian. There is now open discussion about whether Australia should become more monocultural.

We should be able to have that debate. But we should also remember the country we are talking about.

Australia is the ancient and continuing home of the First Nations peoples. Their connection to this land goes back tens of thousands of years and must always be recognised.

SIEV X at 25: 353 lives Australia should not forget. By Mainul Haque , P&I

Australia's university sector and international students alarmed by immigration crackdown. By Mikaela Ortolan, Max Walden and staff, ABC News

The federal government today announced international students will be barred from bringing their families to Australia as part of a broader immigration crackdown.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke said there would be exemptions for students in PhD programs or who were nationals of countries in South-East Asia and the Pacific.

Industry figures argue the move jeopardises the nation's fourth-largest export market by making Australia a less attractive destination for study.

Australia's university sector and international students alarmed by immigration crackdown. By Mikaela Ortolan, Max Walden and staff, ABC News

Labor tightens visa rules as Tony Burke vows migration targets will be met. By Clare Armstrong, ABC News

Labor is tightening visa rules for international students and backpackers, while increasing efforts to remove overstayers as it seeks greater control over migration.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said housing pressures mean net overseas migration forecasts are now considered a target that must be met.

Labor will implement changes that can be made under existing powers but still wants a parliamentary path for further reforms targeting student arrivals and weak protection visa claims.

Labor tightens visa rules as Tony Burke vows migration targets will be met. By Clare Armstrong, ABC News