Immigration minister Andrew Giles has caved to Coalition pressure and announced that he will be deporting non-citizens. Paul Gregoire reports.
Migration Act
When it comes to the business of politicising the right to asylum, no country jettisons the key principles of international law better than Australia, argues Binoy Kampmark.
The Refugee Action Collective (Victoria) discussed the “God” powers of the immigration minister, so named because of their unlimited nature. Chris Slee reports.
The proposed Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2019, which is currently before parliament, will significantly extend the powers of the character test, lowering the threshold for those who might be rejected on character grounds, writes Joanna Psaros.
Paul Gregoire looks at new changes to the Migration Act, which allow the federal government to lock people in immigration detention indefinitely.
Alan Tudge says "foreign actors" are "straining" the country's social cohesion. Alex Bainbridge argues that if he was seriously worried, he could start by looking in the mirror.
The 46th Parliament of Australia opened on July 2 to finance minister Mathias Cormann waving about the Tax Relief So Working Australians Keep More of Their Money Bill. One might be forgiven for translating the legislation’s title to “progressively robbing the poor to give to the rich”.
The immigration department has confirmed it wrongly sent two Australian citizens to immigration detention after cancelling their visas.
The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Australian Maritime Officer's Union (AMOU) have hailed a High Court victory that will protect local jobs on offshore oil and gas projects and curb the exploitation of foreign workers.
The High Court unanimously ruled on August 31 against the federal government's decision to exempt workers on vessels in the offshore oil and gas industry from visa requirements. The unions argued that the exemptions provided an incentive for companies to hire foreigners on lower wages and undercut safety standards and conditions.