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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/sep/19/liberal-mp-says-turnbull-cant-possibly-claim-worlds-best-border-protection-policy
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| Liberal MP says Turnbull can't possibly claim world's best border protection policy Liberal MP says Turnbull can't possibly claim world's best border protection policy | |
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| Malcolm Turnbull needs to use a looming refugee summit to find a country prepared to take detainees from Nauru and Manus Island, according to one of his backbenchers, who says the government’s policy amounts to indefinite detention. | Malcolm Turnbull needs to use a looming refugee summit to find a country prepared to take detainees from Nauru and Manus Island, according to one of his backbenchers, who says the government’s policy amounts to indefinite detention. |
| In the lead-up to the high-powered gathering this week in New York, the Victorian Liberal backbencher Russell Broadbent has comprehensively rejected a recent characterisation by the the prime minister that Australia has the best border protection policy in the world. | In the lead-up to the high-powered gathering this week in New York, the Victorian Liberal backbencher Russell Broadbent has comprehensively rejected a recent characterisation by the the prime minister that Australia has the best border protection policy in the world. |
| Broadbent told Guardian Australia on Monday Turnbull could not possibly make that claim, given the consequences of the current policy. “It’s not the world’s best policy if you end up with 2,000 people in limbo in indefinite detention,” Broadbent said Monday. | Broadbent told Guardian Australia on Monday Turnbull could not possibly make that claim, given the consequences of the current policy. “It’s not the world’s best policy if you end up with 2,000 people in limbo in indefinite detention,” Broadbent said Monday. |
| “We should use this summit to look for a third country to take the people on Nauru and Manus Island.” | “We should use this summit to look for a third country to take the people on Nauru and Manus Island.” |
| This week the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, will host a summit in New York “addressing large movements of refugees and migrants”. A draft declaration document from the summit has already been widely circulated – and widely condemned – for its failure to commit countries to concrete actions to make refugees’ journeys better or safer. | This week the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, will host a summit in New York “addressing large movements of refugees and migrants”. A draft declaration document from the summit has already been widely circulated – and widely condemned – for its failure to commit countries to concrete actions to make refugees’ journeys better or safer. |
| The day after Ban’s summit the US president, Barack Obama, will host his own “leaders’ summit”, also in New York. | The day after Ban’s summit the US president, Barack Obama, will host his own “leaders’ summit”, also in New York. |
| But, unlike the UN event, the US summit has been billed as a “pay-to-play” summit, with Obama offering invitations only to countries who indicate in advance they are prepared to make concrete commitments to accept more refugees. | But, unlike the UN event, the US summit has been billed as a “pay-to-play” summit, with Obama offering invitations only to countries who indicate in advance they are prepared to make concrete commitments to accept more refugees. |
| Turnbull will attend the summit with the immigration minister Peter Dutton, but the government has not given any public indication about what its commitment might be. | Turnbull will attend the summit with the immigration minister Peter Dutton, but the government has not given any public indication about what its commitment might be. |
| It appears unlikely Australia’s contribution to the summit will be any reform to its controversial mandatory detention, offshore processing, or regional resettlement policies but instead likely to be directed towards distant refugee flows, probably in the Middle-East. | It appears unlikely Australia’s contribution to the summit will be any reform to its controversial mandatory detention, offshore processing, or regional resettlement policies but instead likely to be directed towards distant refugee flows, probably in the Middle-East. |
| Given the international publicity Australia’s punitive asylum regime has generated, the prime minister is expected to face questions about when its offshore processing centres will wind up. | Given the international publicity Australia’s punitive asylum regime has generated, the prime minister is expected to face questions about when its offshore processing centres will wind up. |
| Late last week Dutton signalled Australia might shift its position on whether asylum seekers could be resettled in New Zealand, but he shut the door on that prospect on Thursday evening, saying Australia’s regional processing relationship with Nauru would continue for “decades”. | Late last week Dutton signalled Australia might shift its position on whether asylum seekers could be resettled in New Zealand, but he shut the door on that prospect on Thursday evening, saying Australia’s regional processing relationship with Nauru would continue for “decades”. |
| The group Australian Lawyers for Human Rights has written to the immigration and foreign ministers of New Zealand, Canada, the US, and Germany, urging those countries to resettle the recognised refugees currently held on Manus Island and Nauru. | The group Australian Lawyers for Human Rights has written to the immigration and foreign ministers of New Zealand, Canada, the US, and Germany, urging those countries to resettle the recognised refugees currently held on Manus Island and Nauru. |
| The letter said it was “indisputable” that Australia’s offshore detention regime breached international law, a position supported by the UN, the Australian Senate, and Papua New Guinea’s supreme court. | The letter said it was “indisputable” that Australia’s offshore detention regime breached international law, a position supported by the UN, the Australian Senate, and Papua New Guinea’s supreme court. |
| “All of these countries [ALHR has written to] have demonstrated considerable generosity with respect to their resettlement intakes, particularly in response to the crisis in Syria,” ALHR president Benedict Coyne said. “New Zealand previously offered to resettle 150 refugees from Australia’s offshore processing centres but the Australian government refused.” | “All of these countries [ALHR has written to] have demonstrated considerable generosity with respect to their resettlement intakes, particularly in response to the crisis in Syria,” ALHR president Benedict Coyne said. “New Zealand previously offered to resettle 150 refugees from Australia’s offshore processing centres but the Australian government refused.” |
| “ALHR is concerned that if countries such as these do not offer resettlement places, refugees will be sent to countries that do not have the capacity to adequately protect and provide for their rights.” | “ALHR is concerned that if countries such as these do not offer resettlement places, refugees will be sent to countries that do not have the capacity to adequately protect and provide for their rights.” |
| Canada has already accepted for resettlement two refugees held on Nauru, who had family members resettled in Canada. | Canada has already accepted for resettlement two refugees held on Nauru, who had family members resettled in Canada. |
| The vast majority of people held in Australian-run offshore detention centres have been found to be refugees with a “well-founded fear of persecution” in their home country – 98% of the men on Manus who have been processed have been found to be refugees and 77% of the men, women and children on Nauru. | The vast majority of people held in Australian-run offshore detention centres have been found to be refugees with a “well-founded fear of persecution” in their home country – 98% of the men on Manus who have been processed have been found to be refugees and 77% of the men, women and children on Nauru. |
| An estimated 86% of the world’s 21.3m refugees are hosted in developing countries, usually close to the homelands they have fled. | An estimated 86% of the world’s 21.3m refugees are hosted in developing countries, usually close to the homelands they have fled. |
| The Refugee Council of Australia said Australia needed to outline – before this week’s two global summits – firm new commitments on its refugee policies. | The Refugee Council of Australia said Australia needed to outline – before this week’s two global summits – firm new commitments on its refugee policies. |
| The acting chief executive of the council, Tim O’Connor, said the agreed draft of the outcome document to the secretary general’s summit on Monday – which has been significantly watered-down from its original form – failed to adequately address the global forced migration issue. | The acting chief executive of the council, Tim O’Connor, said the agreed draft of the outcome document to the secretary general’s summit on Monday – which has been significantly watered-down from its original form – failed to adequately address the global forced migration issue. |
| “The international community is set to miss a landmark opportunity to manage the greatest displacement crisis the modern world has known if we again evade our responsibilities to provide durable solutions to displaced people and refugees.“The global community needs to ensure people who flee conflict and persecution are protected and can live with dignity. The current draft does not go far enough and is an abrogation of our responsibilities.” | “The international community is set to miss a landmark opportunity to manage the greatest displacement crisis the modern world has known if we again evade our responsibilities to provide durable solutions to displaced people and refugees.“The global community needs to ensure people who flee conflict and persecution are protected and can live with dignity. The current draft does not go far enough and is an abrogation of our responsibilities.” |
| The refugee council said Australia’s refugee and asylum policies – which have been condemned by the United Nations, the Human Rights Commission, the Australian Medical Association, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and staff who work in Australia-run detention centres – undermine Australia’s credibility in international forums. | The refugee council said Australia’s refugee and asylum policies – which have been condemned by the United Nations, the Human Rights Commission, the Australian Medical Association, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and staff who work in Australia-run detention centres – undermine Australia’s credibility in international forums. |
| “The brutal impacts of Australia’s current offshore detention policy continue to undermine the positive story of Australia’s refugee resettlement success and the urgent need to engage with Australia’s neighbours to develop sustainable and humane regional solutions to the challenges of human displacement,” O’Connor said. | “The brutal impacts of Australia’s current offshore detention policy continue to undermine the positive story of Australia’s refugee resettlement success and the urgent need to engage with Australia’s neighbours to develop sustainable and humane regional solutions to the challenges of human displacement,” O’Connor said. |
| The refugee council proposed expanding and reforming the existing community proposal pilot, which allows communities to sponsor refugees to come to Australia. Moving this program outside Australia’s humanitarian intake, and reducing its cost – currently about $70,000 – would allow more refugees to be resettled in Australia in a safe and orderly movement. | The refugee council proposed expanding and reforming the existing community proposal pilot, which allows communities to sponsor refugees to come to Australia. Moving this program outside Australia’s humanitarian intake, and reducing its cost – currently about $70,000 – would allow more refugees to be resettled in Australia in a safe and orderly movement. |
| The St Vincent de Paul Society also urged the government to increase Australia’s annual intake of refugees to 30,000. “Contrary to the government’s assertions, breaking people’s spirits in offshore processing facilities is not the unavoidable alternative to deaths at sea,” said its chief executive, John Falzon. | The St Vincent de Paul Society also urged the government to increase Australia’s annual intake of refugees to 30,000. “Contrary to the government’s assertions, breaking people’s spirits in offshore processing facilities is not the unavoidable alternative to deaths at sea,” said its chief executive, John Falzon. |
| “The most urgent matter facing the Australian government is the fate of refugees and asylum seekers stuck in limbo on Nauru and Manus Island.” | “The most urgent matter facing the Australian government is the fate of refugees and asylum seekers stuck in limbo on Nauru and Manus Island.” |
| “We call on the prime minister to embrace a humane and respectful way forward for the vulnerable children and their families on Nauru, along with the more than 800 men on Manus Island, who have been living without hope for too long.” | “We call on the prime minister to embrace a humane and respectful way forward for the vulnerable children and their families on Nauru, along with the more than 800 men on Manus Island, who have been living without hope for too long.” |