Secret Serco rating system for immigration detainees must be scrapped, say Greens. By Ariel Bogle, The Guardian

“Serco’s use of algorithms without oversight in immigration detention, with its profound flaws and opacity, is unacceptable and must end immediately,” said Nick McKim, the Greens immigration spokesperson.

“The Australian government and Serco owe the public a full explanation of this practice, which has severe implications for fundamental human rights.”

Human rights commissioner Lorraine Finlay said the AHRC has “consistently expressed concerns” about the SRAT and questioned whether it leads to restrictive measures that “are not necessary, reasonable, or proportionate”.

Secret Serco rating system for immigration detainees must be scrapped, say Greens. By Ariel Bogle, The Guardian

'Give us reasons': Families of Palestinians left in limbo by visa cancellations demand answers. By Anna Henderson & Rayane Tam, SBS

The General Delegation of Palestine to Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific has urged the government to "urgently" reconsider its decision and enable those who had been granted visas to travel safely to Australia.

"With extreme difficulty, these individuals and families were finally able to exit through the Rafah crossing and escape unimaginable horrors in Gaza, only to find themselves stranded in transit countries, unable to travel onward to Australia," the delegation said in a statement.

"Transit countries permitted them entry for a limited time only because they held Australian visas: they will be forced to leave, but they have nowhere else to go.

"Introducing such unjustified measures will undermine the positive engagement process between the Australian government and the Palestinian community, and widen the gap that is already growing between them, worsened by Australia's ongoing suspension of aid to UNRWA."

'Give us reasons': Families of Palestinians left in limbo by visa cancellations demand answers. By Anna Henderson & Rayane Tam, SBS

148 people released from immigration detention had invalid visas. How did this happen? By Jessica Bahr, SBS

The government said there was a technical inconsistency in migration regulations and how they apply to the Bridging (Removal Pending) - BVR - visas issued to the group of people released from indefinite immigration detention.
The inconsistency dates back to 2013 when the visa was created, and rendered the BVR visa issued to the NZYQ group invalid.
149 people were released in the grouping and 148 are known to have been on visas that were invalid due to this inconsistency in law. One person had a valid visa.
The 148 people with invalid visas have had their visas re-issued, with strict conditions attached.

148 people released from immigration detention had invalid visas. How did this happen? By Jessica Bahr, SBS

Revealed: the secret algorithm that controls the lives of Serco’s immigration detainees. By Ariel Bogle, The Guardian

In Australia’s immigration detention centres, each detainee is given security risk ratings decided by an algorithm – but they’re not even told it exists.

Developed by Serco, the company tasked with running Australia’s immigration detention network, the Security Risk Assessment Tool – or SRAT – is meant to determine whether someone is low, medium, high or extreme risk for escape or violence.

Revealed: the secret algorithm that controls the lives of Serco’s immigration detainees. By Ariel Bogle, The Guardian

Sussan Ley’s desperate dog whistling will not be forgotten. By Jane Salmon, Pearls & Irritations

Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley’s faux “concern” for the safety of women of Dunkley seems to have evaporated now that the polls are closed.

Her famously racist tweet about dangers of released indefinite detainees into Frankston has now been removed.

It has done its job: crisis over. Really??

Sussan Ley’s desperate dog whistling will not be forgotten. By Jane Salmon, Pearls & Irritations

Daniel Ghezelbash named next Director of the Kaldor Centre, with Jane McAdam staying on to launch the Evacuations Research Hub under her Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship.

With the establishment of the Evacuations Research Hub at the Kaldor Centre, McAdam will turn her focus to generating legal and policy innovations to protect the rights of evacuees, building on the Centre’s pioneering work on displacement in the context of climate change and disasters.

McAdam said, ‘I am immensely proud of all the Centre has achieved over the past decade and look forward to being part of the Centre team under Daniel’s extremely capable leadership. With his personal experience as the child of Iranian refugees, his practical legal expertise and a powerful record of cutting-edge scholarship, Daniel is ideally placed to lead the Centre into its next phase of growth and impact.’

Daniel Ghezelbash named next Director of the Kaldor Centre, with Jane McAdam staying on to launch the Evacuations Research Hub under her Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship.

Refugee Council of Australia to co-host global meeting on refugee settlement. (RCOA media Release)

Over 120 representatives from governments, NGOs, the UN and refugee-led organisations will be in Sydney this month for the global Working Group on Resettlement. 

The four-day event starts with 12 site visits over two days where our international visitors will learn about Australian approaches from 18 local organisations.  

Refugee Council of Australia to co-host global meeting on refugee settlement. (RCOA media release)

Protecting climate refugees requires a legal definition. By Cristina-Ioana Dragomir, Aljazeera

During the UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai last year, the terms “climate migrants” and “climate refugees” echoed loudly across meeting rooms and panels. These labels were passionately used by high-ranking UN officials, external stakeholders, scholars and activists grappling with the consequences of climate change.

During a panel discussion, I emphasised that these terms hold no legal weight and inquired about the need for specific legal protections for those affected by climate-induced displacement. My question was quickly shut down by the panel organisers, surprising attendees.

Protecting climate refugees requires a legal definition. By Cristina-Ioana Dragomir, Aljazeera

Concerns about treatment of asylum seekers sent to Nauru, RNZ

An Australian Home Affairs depertmental spokesperson told RNZ that "regional processing is an important measure to deter people smugglers from exploiting vulnerable persons from attempting irregular and dangerous maritime voyages, and thereby reduces the risk of the loss of life at sea".

"The Government of Nauru is responsible for the management of individuals under regional processing arrangements," the spokesperson said.

Concerns about treatment of asylum seekers sent to Nauru, RNZ

The small-town mayor, the ‘deathtrap’ barge and the Aussie company’s $3.2 billion black hole. By Colin Kruger, SMH

The Bibby Stockholm, which had its accommodation capacity doubled to more than 500 people with the installation of bunk beds, has been labelled a “deathtrap” by the UK’s Fire Brigades Union.

The barge had to be evacuated last August, less than a week after the first asylum seekers boarded, following the discovery of legionella bacteria in its water system.

The small-town mayor, the ‘deathtrap’ barge and the Aussie company’s $3.2 billion black hole. By Colin Kruger, SMH

Dan Tehan condemns ‘big Australia’ policy but won’t reveal Coalition’s immigration plan. Daniel Hurst, The Guardian

The shadow immigration minister, Dan Tehan, has criticised a “big Australia” policy but refused to say what level of migration the Coalition would pursue in government, saying only that it wants “a better Australia”.

Dan Tehan condemns ‘big Australia’ policy but won’t reveal Coalition’s immigration plan. Daniel Hurst, The Guardian

Behrouz Boochani : The many incarnations of Australia’s convict mentality, The Saturday Paper

My life in Manus Camp was a rope that led me into the deepest recesses of the Australian psyche. It led me to Australia not as a country or a nation but as a colonial mindset. I have written quite a bit about Manus, and all those pieces had the same underlying theme: Manus is the collective unconsciousness of Australia. My writing has been an attempt at finding the deep structures that connect Manus to the colonial history of Australia.

Behrouz Boochani : The many incarnations of Australia’s convict mentality, The Saturday Paper

Peter Dutton doubles down on immigration attacks despite Victoria police clearing detainee of assault charges. By Paul Karp & Benita Kolovos, The Guardian

Sanmati Verma, acting legal director of the Human Rights Law Centre, said that “relentless hounding to drum up community fear for political gain … endangers people who have been lawfully released from detention”.

Peter Dutton doubles down on immigration attacks despite Victoria police clearing detainee of assault charges. By Paul Karp & Benita Kolovos, The Guardian

A little support instead of billions on toxic cruelty. By Lucy Hamilton, P&I

Meanwhile Clare O’Neil’s Home Affairs is only beginning to reckon with the harm done to the Australian record and budget by Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton and Michael Pezzullo, their chief public servant, recently removed in disgrace.

Australians ought to be angry, not only about the vast quantity of taxpayer money that should have been much better spent. We ought to be angry that enterprising people who could, with a little support, have achieved great accomplishments enabling a better future for them and the countries that would host them.

A little support instead of billions on toxic cruelty. By Lucy Hamilton, P&I

Australia funding ‘unethical’ advertisements aimed at preventing boat arrivals. By Zach Hope, SMH

“A review of the [advertising] codes suggests these wouldn’t be accepted in Australia,” said Griffith University marketing expert, Dr Gavin Northey, who reviewed two of the commercials for this masthead.

“This raises the question: Why does the Australian government feel they are appropriate in another country?”

He said the ads trivialise mental health, particularly in a highly marginalised group and the campaign overlooks the life experiences and struggles of such people.

Australia funding ‘unethical’ advertisements aimed at preventing boat arrivals. By Zach Hope, SMH

Sky News debate on asylum seeker policy: Indisputable facts. By Abul Rizvi, IA

I (Dr Abul Rizvi) have been asked to participate in a debate on a new Sky News program, The Jury. The debate will be on asylum seeker policy.

Knowing that I will be at a significant disadvantage in such a forum, I proposed two conditions for my participation.

The first was that the debate question be policy-oriented and not politically based. Sky has agreed the debate question will be: Are we right to be panicking about recent boat arrivals?

My second requirement was that there would be an agreed set of facts that the moderator – who will be a Sky journalist – would read out.

The facts I have proposed the moderator read out are listed below……………… (click on link below to read these nine indisputable facts about asylum seeker policy)

* EDITOR'S NOTE
Sky News cancelled the debate with the reason given that the issue had "lost its topicality"!

Sky News debate on asylum seeker policy: Indisputable facts. By Abul Rizvi, IA