Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia's treatment of asylum seekers has been controversial and has come under intense scrutiny. Australia is the only country in the world with a policy of mandatory detention and offshore processing of asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa. The country has implemented increasingly harsh policies of 'humane deterrence' to prevent asylum seekers from entering its borders. Australia's asylum policy is a contentious issue in Australian politics, with the two major political parties arguing that the issue is a border control problem and one concerning the safety of those attempting to enter the country by boat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australia's rank in the number of refugees hosted | 47th out of 198 countries between 2005 and 2009 |
| Australia's rank in the number of refugees hosted per capita | 22nd in 2012 |
| Australia's rank in resettlement of asylum seekers | 2nd in the world overall, 3rd per capita, and 3rd as a proportion of GDP |
| Australia's humanitarian intake | 12,000 to 20,000 refugees per year |
| Australia's humanitarian intake in 2015-16 | 13,750 people |
| Australia's humanitarian intake in 2016-17 | 24,162 migrants settled on humanitarian grounds |
| Australia's policy on asylum seekers without valid visas | Mandatory detention and offshore processing |
| Australia's policy on asylum seekers arriving by boat | Operation Sovereign Borders, which involves the military patrolling Australian waters and intercepting migrant boats |
| Australia's policy on asylum seekers' settlement | Asylum seekers are not allowed to settle in Australia and are instead settled in Nauru, Papua New Guinea, or Cambodia |
| Australia's policy on asylum seekers' medical treatment | Medevac bill allows doctors to have a say in bringing asylum seekers to the mainland for treatment, but the government plans to send sick refugees to Christmas Island instead of mainland hospitals |
| Human rights organizations' views on Australia's policies | Increasingly harsh policies of 'humane deterrence' that negatively impact the mental health of asylum seekers |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's mandatory detention policy
The Australian government has argued that this approach restores the integrity of its borders and helps prevent deaths at sea. Critics, however, claim that the opposition to asylum seekers is often racially motivated and damages the country's reputation. Furthermore, human rights groups have expressed concern over the conditions and treatment of those in detention, with thousands held in closed immigration detention facilities.
In 2012, the Australian Human Rights Commission welcomed the increased use of community detention but remained concerned about the large number of people in closed facilities. The Commission has focused on ensuring the protection of the human rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and children in immigration detention. This includes access to torture and trauma counselling, family tracing services, legal advice, and interpreting and translation services.
The Australian government has maintained its stance, prohibiting detainees from settling in the country despite a significant proportion being identified as legitimate refugees. This has resulted in the resettlement of asylum seekers in countries like Nauru, Papua New Guinea, and Cambodia, with the US also accepting some under a resettlement deal.
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Australia's offshore processing of asylum seekers
Australia's treatment of asylum seekers has been a controversial topic, with the country facing criticism for its offshore processing policy. Since July 2013, the Australian government has implemented a policy of offshore processing, where asylum seekers arriving by boat are transferred to offshore detention centres in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. This policy has been in place for over eight years and has been deemed ""abusive" and harmful by Human Rights Watch.
Offshore processing has been criticised for inflicting human suffering and being extremely costly. It is estimated that between 2014 and 2020, offshore processing cost the Australian government A$8.3 billion (US$6.2 billion). The annual cost of detaining a single asylum seeker in these offshore centres is approximately A$3.4 million (US$2.5 million). This policy has also led to serious allegations of abuse, self-harm, and neglect, with thousands of people still held in closed immigration detention facilities.
The Australian government justifies this policy as a deterrent, aiming to discourage asylum seekers from attempting to reach Australia by boat. Australia's protection program offers 20,000 places per year for resettlement or granting protection to asylum seekers. However, the gap between needs and actual resettlement is growing, with only 8% of the estimated 2 million individuals in need receiving resettlement in 2023.
Under international law, individuals seeking asylum undergo a rigorous process to prove a well-founded fear of persecution before being granted refugee status. This may be due to race, religion, nationality, social group membership, or political opinion, resulting in serious human rights violations. Australia has obligations under various international treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against Torture (CAT), to protect the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees within its territory or jurisdiction.
While Australia's offshore processing policy aims to manage the influx of asylum seekers, it has faced significant criticism and concerns over human rights violations and the detrimental impact on those seeking protection.
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Australia's hard line on immigration
Australia has implemented a mandatory detention policy for asylum seekers who arrive without valid visas, making it the only country in the world with such a policy. This has resulted in many adults and children being held for extended periods in remote, prison-like detention centres, often on Pacific islands north of Australia, such as Nauru and Manus Island. These offshore processing centres have been criticised for their inhumane conditions, including poor hygiene, cramped quarters, extreme heat, and a lack of adequate facilities.
The Australian government has also been criticised for its policy of turning back asylum seeker boats, with military vessels patrolling Australian waters and intercepting migrant boats, sending them back to Indonesia or sending asylum seekers back in inflatable dinghies or lifeboats. This policy has been hailed by the government as restoring border integrity and preventing deaths at sea. However, critics argue that it is racially motivated and damages Australia's reputation.
Despite international obligations to protect the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees, Australia has been accused of causing widespread psychological harm to those in indefinite detention, exposing them to physical and sexual assaults, and denying them permanent protection. In 2019, a bill known as the "Medevac bill" was passed, allowing doctors more say in bringing asylum seekers from Manus and Nauru to the mainland for treatment. However, the government responded by reopening the Christmas Island detention facilities, signalling a continued hard line on immigration.
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Australia's asylum seeker intake compared to other countries
Australia's treatment of asylum seekers has been a controversial topic. The country has been under scrutiny for its tough asylum policies and hard line on immigration. Between 2005 and 2009, Australia was ranked 47th out of 198 countries in terms of the number of refugees hosted. In 2012, the Refugee Council of Australia ranked the country 22nd on a per capita basis in refugee acceptance. The same year, the Australian government announced that some asylum seekers would be released into the community on bridging visas due to overcrowding in immigration detention facilities.
Australia's humanitarian intake has remained relatively steady over the last two decades, with 12,000 to 13,000 people typically accepted annually. In 2015-16, this number increased to 13,750, and the country committed to accepting an additional 12,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq. Australia's protection program offers 20,000 places per year, available through resettlement from other countries or by granting protection to asylum seekers within Australia.
The country's asylum policies have been criticised for intercepting migrant boats and returning them to Indonesia or sending asylum seekers back in unsafe vessels. Asylum seekers who reach Australia by boat are sent to offshore processing centres in Nauru or Papua New Guinea (PNG) rather than being held in Australia. Human rights groups have criticised the inadequate conditions in these camps, including poor hygiene, cramped conditions, extreme heat, and a lack of facilities.
In 2019, the "Medevac bill" was passed, allowing doctors more say in bringing asylum seekers from Manus and Nauru to the mainland for treatment. However, the government responded by reopening the Christmas Island detention facilities. In 2020, there were still 211 refugees and asylum seekers in Nauru and 228 in PNG, with about 1,220 in Australia receiving medical treatment. While Australia has faced criticism for its treatment of asylum seekers, it has also been recognised for its efforts, ranking 2nd in the world in terms of resettlement.
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The impact of Australia's asylum policies on mental health
Australia's asylum policies have been criticised for their harshness and their impact on the mental health of asylum seekers. The country has implemented policies of ''humane deterrence', aimed at preventing asylum seekers without pre-established resettlement visas from entering its borders. This has resulted in the indefinite mandatory detention of asylum seekers and the denial of permanent protection for those found to be refugees, which has been detrimental to their mental health.
Australian psychiatrists and health professionals have documented the negative impact of these harsh policies on the mental health of asylum seekers. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has expressed concern about the inadequate provision of mental health services to asylum seekers and refugees. They have called for policy changes to improve mental health outcomes and have advocated for equal access to healthcare for asylum seekers and refugees as for the general population.
The weight of evidence shows the detrimental impacts of detention on mental and physical health. The conditions and treatment of asylum seekers in closed immigration detention facilities have been a particular area of concern for the Australian Human Rights Commission. The Commission has focused on ensuring the protection of the human rights of asylum seekers, refugees, and children held in immigration detention.
Australia has obligations under international law and various international treaties to respect and protect the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees within its territory. This includes ensuring access to essential services such as torture and trauma counselling, family tracing, legal and migration advice, and interpreting and translation services.
In contrast to Australia's current policies, the resettlement policy of the late 1980s was considered enlightened, and it contributed to positive mental health outcomes for Vietnamese refugees two decades later. This demonstrates the potential long-term impact of asylum policies on the mental health of those seeking protection.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has obligations to protect the human rights of all asylum seekers and refugees who arrive in the country, regardless of how they arrive and whether they have a visa or not. The country's protection program offers 20,000 places per year, available to people via resettlement from other countries or by granting protection to those who apply for asylum within Australia.
Australia is the only country in the world with a policy of mandatory detention and offshore processing of asylum seekers who arrive without a valid visa. The country has been criticised for its harsh policies aimed at preventing asylum seekers from entering their borders. These policies have been justified as 'humane deterrence', but have been shown to have a detrimental impact on the mental health of asylum seekers.
Asylum seekers in Australia may be held in closed immigration detention facilities, which have been described as prison-like. They may also reside temporarily in the community under restrictive conditions, with limited rights to work, healthcare, education, and family reunion. Human rights groups have criticised the conditions in these camps, citing poor hygiene, cramped conditions, and a lack of facilities.
Australia's hard line on immigration is unlikely to change, with both major political parties supporting tough asylum policies. The country has continued to implement policies aimed at deterring asylum seekers from entering the country, such as the controversial Operation Sovereign Borders, which puts the military in control of asylum operations.
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