The refugees left, but the millions kept coming for Nauru contractor. By Michael Bachelard and Nick McKenzie, SMH

Australian company Canstruct was paid more than $300 million by the federal government to care for refugees and asylum seekers on Nauru last financial year, even as the number of people on the island dwindled to a few dozen and a diminishing number of services were being delivered to them.

The $1.82 billion paid to Canstruct over five years for the Nauru contract added significantly to the wealth of Queensland’s Murphy family, who were also Liberal National Party donors. Their family-owned company, Canstruct International, posted profits of $127 million after tax in 2021-22 bringing total profits to more than $442 million up to the contract’s conclusion in late 2022.

The refugees left, but the millions kept coming for Nauru contractor. By Michael Bachelard and Nick McKenzie, SMH

There's a floating 'recipe for disaster' off England's coast — it has links to Australia. By Riley Stuart, ABC News

As Australia's immigration policies have been criticised — in 2019, then-United Nations commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet described the debate Down Under as "weaponised by misinformation" — countries like the UK are using them as a blueprint.

There's a floating 'recipe for disaster' off England's coast — it has links to Australia. By Riley Stuart, ABC News

Omar came to Australia as a refugee. Now he's helping police better engage with Middle Eastern newcomers. By Saleem Al- Fahad, SBS Arabic24

"I attended a meeting organised by the district to discuss the police's communication with multicultural communities in Hume," Mr Ponsot says.
In that session, he says the region's police chiefs presented their accomplishments in working with communities, but they also spoke about some of the difficulties the police face. In particular, recruiting young Arabic people to the force, he says.
After listening to the police concerns, Mr Ponsot says he presented a potential strategy as to how the police could cut through the difficulties of working with multicultural communities.

Omar came to Australia as a refugee. Now he's helping police better engage with Middle Eastern newcomers. By Saleem Al- Fahad, SBS Arabic24

Australia's migration system 'discriminatory' for people with disabilities. By By Soofia Tariq & Finn McHugh, SBS News

The Greens will push for all people with disabilities to gain an Australian visa and prevent deportation in Federal Parliament. Currently the Migration Act limits people with disabilities from getting a visa as they do not meet health requirements.

Australia's migration system 'discriminatory' for people with disabilities. By By Soofia Tariq & Finn McHugh, SBS News

Opinion: The world must unite now to halt the Taliban’s repression of Afghan women and girls. By Gordon Brown, The Guardian

Two years of ever-intensifying repression since the Taliban seized power in August 2021 have not dimmed the resilience of girls and women in Afghanistan, who continue to risk their lives fighting for their right to an education and employment.

Opinion: The world must unite now to halt the Taliban’s repression of Afghan women and girls. By Gordon Brown, The Guardian

Juliet wants to help the regional doctor shortage, but can't afford university as a temporary resident. By Sophie Landau, ABC News

She wants to become a doctor, to help ease the urgent demand for more health workers in her regional area. But Juliet says she can't afford uni because she will face international student fees, despite calling Australia home for the past eight years.

She's one of the more than 12,000 "permanently temporary" migrants in the country.

Juliet wants to help the regional doctor shortage, but can't afford university as a temporary resident. By Sophie Landau, ABC News

The police came to set the record straight, but we all ended up confused. By Michael Bachelard and Nick McKenzie, The Age

Why is all this important? Because not only have these contracts meant potentially millions of Australian taxpayer dollars has been wasted, but Home Affairs rewarded the corrupt in the tiny nation of Nauru whose people can ill afford it.

The police came to set the record straight, but we all ended up confused. By Michael Bachelard and Nick McKenzie, The Age

FIFA won't recognise them. So this team can only watch on during the Women's World Cup. By Tys Occhiuzzi, SBS News

Football's world governing body FIFA has resisted calls to recognise the Afghan women's football team living in exile in Australia, forced to watch the Women's World Cup from the sidelines.

In the absence of recognition from FIFA came solidarity from ministers and dignitaries in Australia, including Penny Wong.
"We will continue to work with others, as I say to shape the world for the better, that's what we'll try and do, and it was a real privilege to meet with these young women and listen to some of their stories and I hope that we can keep engaging with them."

FIFA won't recognise them. So this team can only watch on during the Women's World Cup. By Tys Occhiuzzi, SBS News

Egyptian refugee Sayed Abdellatif cleared as security threat by Asio, but still detained after 11 years. By Sarah Malik, The Guardian

Sayed Abdellatif arrived in Australia by boat in 2012, seeking asylum with his wife and children. Australia has recognised he has a well-founded fear of being persecuted and cannot be forced to return to his home country. But he has been denied a visa on the basis of tainted security assessments and held in immigration detention.

Note: this article includes a photo of the Grandmothers for Refugees.

Egyptian refugee Sayed Abdellatif cleared as security threat by Asio, but still detained after 11 years. By Sarah Malik, The Guardian

Labor launches inquiry into home affairs procurement after ‘serious issues’ with Nauru contracts. By Paul Karp, The Guardian

Labor has announced an independent review of the management of regional processing procurement by the Department of Home Affairs after revelations it granted contracts to a company linked to the subject of a bribery investigation.

The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, announced the inquiry citing “serious issues” with the governance of offshore processing contracts which she said “merit detailed and thorough examination”.

Labor launches inquiry into home affairs procurement after ‘serious issues’ with Nauru contracts. By Paul Karp, The Guardian

Asylum seeker walking 1,000km from Ballarat to Sydney to raise awareness about temporary protection visas, The Guardian

Not entitled to work rights, study rights or healthcare, the Paras have spent the last decade relying on support and funding from organisations including Rural Australians for Refugees, church groups, and individual members of the community.

Rural Australians for Refugees Ballarat convener Margaret O’Donnell said Para has been an upstanding member of the Ballarat community for many years, and his family has earned the respect and admiration of many. Para also founded the Union of Australian Refugees.

Asylum seeker walking 1,000km from Ballarat to Sydney to raise awareness about temporary protection visas, The Guardian

In Endless Transit: Contributions and Challenges for Refugee-led Initiatives in Indonesia. By Mohammad Baqir Bayani, Patrick Wall, Najeeba Wazefadost and Tristan Harley

This report explores the ways in which refugee-led initiatives (RLIs) in Indonesia support and engage with their communities and other stakeholders, as well as the barriers that they face when conducting their work.

The research team would like to thank Act for Peace, the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees and the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW Sydney for their support throughout this project.

In Endless Transit: Contributions and Challenges for Refugee-led Initiatives in Indonesia (Act for Peace, July 2023) Report by Mohammad Baqir Bayani, Patrick Wall, Najeeba Wazefadost and Tristan Harley

Offshore refugee processing funding allegations: How did we get here? By Peter Hughes, Pearls & Irritations

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have published serious allegations about millions of dollars of Australian government funding for Offshore Processing Centres finding their way through contractors to bank accounts controlled by South Pacific politicians. This comes on top of a history of criticism by the Auditor-General on how providers were selected and contracts managed by the Department of Home Affairs. The blocking of the Labor government’s “Malaysia Arrangement” by the Coalition and the Greens in 2011 was the strategic turning point that sent governments down the pathway to this sad destination.

Offshore refugee processing funding allegations: How did we get here? By Peter Hughes, Pearls & Irritations

Scandal has stuck to Morrison, but offshore truths could hit home for Dutton. By Peter Hartcher, SMH

The most politically sensational of the reports? That the Australian Federal Police told Dutton as home affairs minister in July 2018 that an Australian businessman was under investigation for bribery, and that Dutton’s department awarded the same man’s company a multi-million-dollar government contract a month later.

Scandal has stuck to Morrison, but offshore truths could hit home for Dutton, By Peter Hartcher,SMH