Refugees in PNG face eviction as Australian taxpayers’ dollars dry up. By Michael Bachelard and Nick McKenzie, SMH

The Home Affairs Department told the Senate in July that it had paid an undisclosed amount of Australian taxpayers’ money to the PNG government in December 2021 to deal with what it called the “residual caseload”. The money was paid as part of a “confidential bilateral arrangement” when the decade-long regional resettlement arrangement with Papua New Guinea formally ended on December 31, 2021.

Refugees in PNG face eviction as Australian taxpayers’ dollars dry up. By Michael Bachelard and Nick McKenzie, SMH

Vanessa Redgrave gives £4,000 to Bibby Stockholm legal fight. By Diane Taylor, The Guardian UK

Vanessa Redgrave has donated £4,000 to a legal fund challenging the Home Office’s use of the controversial Bibby Stockholm barge to accommodate asylum seekers.

The actor and human rights campaigner has been an outspoken critic of the government’s policy to house asylum seekers on the barge in Portland, Dorset.

The Bibby Stockholm has been empty since 11 August when asylum seekers, who had been onboard for just four days, were evacuated after the discovery of deadly legionella bacteria.

Vanessa Redgrave gives £4,000 to Bibby Stockholm legal fight. By Diane Taylor, The Guardian UK

Serious concern over crisis unfolding for refugees in PNG. Media release from Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has today expressed serious concerns about an unfolding crisis in Port Moresby with refugees and people seeking asylum forced to Papua New Guinea a decade ago, as well as their families, now being cut off from critical support services and evicted from accommodation. 

Serious concern over crisis unfolding for refugees in PNG. Media release from Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

Refuge for queer asylum seekers. By Dennis Altman, The Monthly

Queer asylum seekers are not only caught in the same bureaucratic and financial tangles as other refugees, most often they cannot fall back on their diasporic communities for support. Someone who has fled their homelands because of persecution based on sexuality or gender identity is unlikely to find much sympathy from their compatriots in Australia. Often queer asylum seekers are fleeing their families, sometimes in fear of their lives. Many will tell you that they also feel unwelcome in the established queer communities within Australia.

Refuge for queer asylum seekers. By Dennis Altman, The Monthly

Eleven Australian women are stuck in Syrian refugee camps. Their repatriation trial starts today. SBS Source: AAP

The repatriation of women and children from a Syrian refugee camp last year is strong evidence of the Commonwealth's control over their detention, lawyers for another group of women fighting to return to Australia have argued.
A trial has begun in the Federal Court in a case brought on behalf of 11 women and 20 children seeking to be returned to Australia from detention in the al-Roj camp in northern Syria.

Eleven Australian women are stuck in Syrian refugee camps. Their repatriation trial starts today. SBS Source: AAP

Home Affairs boss stands aside for investigation of texts leak . By Tom McIlroy, Financial Review

The reports made public hundreds of encrypted messages between Mr Pezzullo and Liberal Party member Scott Briggs over more than five years, including some that were disparaging of senior public servants and politicians including Christopher Pyne, Julie Bishop and Marise Payne.

Mr Pezzullo made no comment on Monday. Deputy secretary Stephanie Foster will lead the department while he is stood aside.

Home Affairs boss stands aside for investigation of texts leak . By Tom McIlroy, Financial Review

Home affairs department head Michael Pezzullo standing aside pending investigation over leaked texts. By Paul Karp, The Guardian

The Age and 60 Minutes first revealed the series of texts between Pezzullo and Liberal powerbroker, Scott Briggs, in which the home affairs secretary disparaged senior Coalition ministers and advocated for a right winger to be minister responsible for his department.

On Monday the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, revealed that home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, had asked that Pezzullo “stand aside” while an investigation took place.

Home affairs department head Michael Pezzullo standing aside pending investigation over leaked texts. By Paul Karp, The Guardian

Five years. A thousand messages. How a top public servant tried to influence governments. By Nick McKenzie, Michael Bachelard and Amelia Ballinger, The Age

The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and 60 Minutes reveal a cache of messages Michael Pezzullo sent to a Liberal powerbroker in a bid to promote conservatives, oust enemies and revamp the national security regime.

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Five years. A thousand messages. How a top public servant tried to influence governments. By Nick McKenzie, Michael Bachelard and Amelia Ballinger, The Age

Young Lawyer of the Year and former refugee wants others to come to Australia 'in a safer way'. SBS Arabic24 By Ruba Mansour & Shirley Glaister

Zainab Al-Sweedy arrived in Australia as a child refugee after a seven-day voyage.

Why this community feels the cost of living crisis harder than others, SBS By Rashida Yosufzai

It’s a difficult moment for Melbourne father Sulaiman Anwarzai whenever loved ones call from overseas.
Not only is Anwarzai supporting his young family in Australia on a low income, he’s also financially helping the family he left behind in Afghanistan to survive.
“It is hard - we can’t do this on a regular basis, because you know, it's difficult,” he told SBS News, referring to the remittances

Anwarzai arrived in Australia less than two years ago with his wife and three children, after the Taliban took over his home country.

Why this community feels the cost of living crisis harder than others, SBS By Rashida Yosufzai

Federal government could pay millions in compensation over asylum seeker data breach. By Ben Doherty, The Guardian

The mass data breach, discovered by Guardian Australia in 2014, resulted in information being used, in some cases, to allegedly threaten asylum seekers, or persecute and even jail their family members.

Of the nearly 10,000 asylum seekers whose privacy was breached nearly a decade ago, those who suffered “extreme loss and damage” will each be eligible for more than $20,000 in compensation after a decision from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Federal government could pay millions in compensation over asylum seeker data breach. By Ben Doherty, The Guardian

Refugee goes on long walk to take Australia on a journey. By Sumitra Vignaendra, Pearls & Irritations

The people of Ballarat generously pay the family’s bills and rent. In return, Neil is a tireless volunteer for the SES and leads a crew, while Sugaa volunteers in aged care and the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre. Both are also actively involved in community committees.

Refugee goes on long walk to take Australia on a journey. By Sumitra Vignaendra, Pearls & Irritations

Australia told more migrants no ‘silver bullet’ for broken system. By Max Walden, Aljazeera

Government has opened door to more permanent migrants to ease labour shortages, but campaigners say more needs to be done to protect workers on temporary visas.

The Australian government is facing renewed calls to strengthen protections for migrant workers against exploitation and abuse, after announcing it will increase permanent migration places to address ongoing skills and labour shortages across the country.

Australia told more migrants no ‘silver bullet’ for broken system. By Max Walden, Aljazeera