Articles

Australia's asylum seeker system has been a subject of intense debate and criticism both domestically and internationally for their humanitarian, legal, and ethical implications. While the country maintains a stringent approach to border protection, these are some of the major issues plaguing Australia's asylum seeker system.

Nadesalingam Murugappan and Priya Nadesalingam, also known as Nades and Priya, fled Sri Lanka to escape persecution faced by Tamils after the Sri Lankan Civil War. Nades arrived in Australia by boat in 2012, followed by Priya in 2013. They met and married in Australia, eventually settling in the small town of Biloela, Queensland.

During Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war, there were periods where peace negotiations were taking place between the two main parties involved – the Sri Lankan Government, and the Tamil Tigers. However, foreign interest in Sri Lanka led to countries like the US (and Australia) trying to influence the outcome of the civil war, and therefore the peace process.

Australia’s Country Information Reports are reports prepared by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, or DFAT, on an asylum seeker’s country of origin, in this case Sri Lanka. They’re required to be taken into consideration by the Department of Home Affairs, the Immigration Assessment Authority and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. They outline things like geography, population, current and past issues, the stability of the country and how safe it is for people.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a resistance group also known as the Tamil Tigers, were founded in 1976 to call for an independent state from Sri Lanka. This is after decades of discrimination and violence perpetrated against the Tamil ethnic minority in the northern and north-eastern part of Sri Lanka.

The countless protests and organised resistance that have recently been documented on social media have informed people about the Israeli occupation of Palestine in a way like never before in the 70 year conflict. This has empowered everyday people (and mostly young people) who are witnessing the unfiltered violence on their screens, to become critical of the narrative that is perpetuated by mainstream media organisations and politicians, as well as the political objectives that may be underpinning them.

The border and surveillance industry is a sprawling web of border, military, detention, tech and finance organisations that attempt to control people on the move. These various organisations work together and make their money by selling their services to governments (like ours in Australia) to prevent people from fleeing conflict, economic insecurity, and the effects of climate change.

‘Boat turnbacks’ have been used by Australia for over 10 years but has come under a lot of criticism for its impact on people fleeing danger and persecution. Here is an overview of the process and its concerns.

Australia may be a world leader in lots of things - deadly animals, solar energy adoption, but one surprising area is in the privatisation of detention centres.

The terms ‘asylum seekers’ are ‘refugees’ are often used interchangeably and sometimes incorrectly. They do in fact refer to different things, so here’s what you need to know.

Whilst offshore processing has been used by the Australian government for decades, its problems and criticisms are lengthy, from poor conditions to extraordinary costs.

Priya, Nades, Kopika, and Tharnicaa, often referred to as the Nadesalingam’s or the Biloela family, are a Tamil Sri Lankan family who were fighting to stay in Australia as asylum seekers. The sprung into the media spotlight due to multiple medical issues, and two attempted deportations, one which saw them end up on Christmas Island. Here is an overview of their story.

Australia is notorious for its hard stance against asylum seekers. Especially since the Tampa Affair of 2001, its approach to asylum seekers has been characterised by a series of strategic measures aimed at dissuading individuals from seeking refuge within its borders. Whilst the motivations behind these tactics are obfuscated, the tactics are nevertheless clear. Here are three key ones.

In the tumultuous landscape of Australian politics, few issues have been as consistently wielded as a potent tool for electoral advantage as the question of asylum seekers. From the handling of Vietnamese refugees in the 1970’s to the more recent atrocities surrounding the Nadesalingam family, the treatment of asylum seekers has shaped electoral narratives and policy decisions alike.

International advertising campaigns are nothing new for Australia – we rose to notoriety with our infamous “C U in the NT” tourism campaign. But did you know that we also run campaigns to stop people from coming to Australia?

The Nadesalingams or the ‘Biloela family’, rose to media attention when they were suddenly removed from their home in the central Queensland town of Biloela, taken to a detention centre in Melbourne, and almost deported twice. Here’s how they were able to finally return home to Biloela.