Refugees and asylum seekers

Australia should:

• Explore humane ways to reduce the need for people to escape from their regions, including support to refugee camps and an aid program that enhances civil society in recipient countries;
• Continue to provide resettlement places as part of its role as a responsible member of the international community;
• Set aside a minimum of ten percent of each year's refugee program for Refugee Women at Risk entrants;
• Educate the Australian community about who refugees are, and why they come to Australia;
• Respect its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UNHCR's Guidelines on Detention. These include the cessation of mandatory detention of those arriving 'illegally', and provision for an independent review of the decision to detain an asylum seeker;
• Advise all detainees, as a matter of course, of their right to seek legal advice;
• Abolish mandatory detention. As an interim measure, improve the conditions in immigration detention centres to be consistent with both international standards for the treatment of people deprived of their liberty, and relevant international treaties. Establish reception centres to determine identity, provide health checks, and identify specific needs of asylum seekers. Institute community based arrangements for asylum seekers while claims are being processed. Abolish three year temporary protection visas. Grant permanent residence to those currently on temporary visas;
• Ensure all asylum seekers in the community have access to welfare and medical benefits on a means-tested basis, including providing for their special needs, such as specialist torture and trauma counselling.
• Broaden the term 'refugee' to include recognition of environmental refugees.