Yes, of course we need a Human Rights Act! By Bronwyn Kelly, Pearls and Irritations

For instance, if an Act were designed to prohibit executive decisions that run counter to the international human rights treaties our parliaments have already ratified, we might hope that this would lessen the harms that have flowed from our unconstrained governments in policies such as those on detention of asylum seekers and children, mixing of adult and juvenile offenders as well as accused persons and convicted persons in detention centres, compensation of wrongly convicted persons, whistleblowers making genuine public interest disclosures, compensation of Indigenous peoples for theft of their lands and children, protection of Australians and others from climate change, and protection of Australians from propaganda for war.

Yes, of course we need a Human Rights Act! By Bronwyn Kelly, Pearls and Irritations

Last refugee on Nauru evacuated as Australian government says offshore processing policy remains. By Ben Doherty and Eden Gillespie, The Guardian

The last refugee held by Australia on Nauru has been evacuated off the island, flying into Brisbane on Saturday night, marking the end – at least for now – of more than a decade of offshore processing on the Pacific island.

However the Australian government says it remains committed to offshore processing as a policy. It maintains an offshore detention centre in abeyance on the island, at an annual cost of $350m, which it says is “ready to receive and process any new unauthorised maritime arrivals”.

Last refugee on Nauru evacuated as Australian government says offshore processing policy remains. By Ben Doherty and Eden Gillespie, The Guardian

Australia to move last refugee from offshore processing on Nauru – but its cruelty and cost are not over. By Ben Doherty and Eden Gillespie, The Guardian

“Offshore processing failed to achieve its stated objectives of ‘stopping the boats’ or ‘saving lives at sea’,” Madeline Gleeson (senior research fellow at the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW) says. “During the height of this policy, more asylum seekers were trying to reach Australia by boat than at any previous time. What it was effective at doing was dehumanising people who came here in search of safety, and scoring political points.”

Australia to move last refugee from offshore processing on Nauru – but its cruelty and cost are not over. By Ben Doherty and Eden Gillespie, The Guardian

Home to Australia's largest population, Toowoomba's Yazidis worried support will run out . By Tobi Loftus, ABC News

"The federal government makes decisions about how many people are able to move to Toowoomba, and we love being a refugee welcome zone, but we need to have federal government support when they make those decisions," Catholic Care executive director Kate Venables said.

Home to Australia's largest population, Toowoomba's Yazidis worried support will run out . By Tobi Loftus, ABC News

A tale of two disasters: Missing Titanic sub captivates the world days after deadly migrant shipwreck. By Chantal Da Silva, NBC News

Last week's sinking of a fishing boat crowded with migrants trying to get from Libya to Italy sparked arrests, violent protests and questions about authorities’ failure to act or find a long-term solution to the issue. But many human rights advocates are frustrated that the world seems to have already moved on and that the resources and media attention being dedicated to the Titan rescue efforts far outweigh those for the sunken migrant ship.

A tale of two disasters: Missing Titanic sub captivates the world days after deadly migrant shipwreck. By Chantal Da Silva, NBC News

Hotel immigration detention policy to change following Commissioner's critical report. SBS News (Audio - 3:38 mins)

Serious and prolonged human rights issues of holding people in hotel immigration detention have been highlighted by Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner. The Department of Home Affairs has responded to the Commissioner's report by accepting only two of her 24 recommendations, but says it is changing the policy.

Hotel immigration detention policy to change following Commissioner's critical report. SBS News (Audio - 3:38 mins)

I have seen the devastating impacts of Australia’s hotel detention – it’s time to stop ‘regularising’ it. By Lorraine Finlay, Opinion : The Guardian

The first thing that struck me was the proximity. Other guests stayed in the same hotel, coming and going without realising they shared the place with people who were imprisoned – who looked out their windows as the world went by in the city centre but were unable to join it. The invisibility of detainees within hotels themselves emphasised their political invisibility.

I have seen the devastating impacts of Australia’s hotel detention – it’s time to stop ‘regularising’ it. By Lorraine Finlay, Opinion: The Guardian

Inspection report: Serious human rights concerns in hotel detention. Australian Human Rights Commission

An inspection report by the Australian Human Rights Commission has found serious human rights concerns persist in the use of hotels as Alternative Places of Detention (APODs) within Australia’s immigration detention system.

The report found detention in hotels had severe negative impacts on people’s physical and mental health, which became progressively worse the longer a person was detained.

Inspection report: Serious human rights concerns in hotel detention. Australian Human Rights Commission

Australia’s use of hotels for immigration detention found to have ‘devastating’ health effects. By Ben Doherty, The Guardian

Human rights commissioner, Lorraine Finlay, inspected detention hotels with Prof Suresh Sundram, the head of the department of psychiatry at Monash University, and found “entrenched boredom, loneliness, frustration and apathy” among detainees.

Some reported they felt they were better off in prison or immigration detention centres, where they had access to activities, exercise and fresh air.

At the time of the commission’s inspections in mid-2022, the longest continuous detention in a hotel was 634 days and the average time was 69 days.

Australia’s use of hotels for immigration detention found to have ‘devastating’ health effects. By Ben Doherty, The Guardian