Time to restart refugee program with lifting of international travel restrictions
The Human Rights Law Centre has today welcomed the federal government’s announcement that international border restrictions will be lifted for most temporary visa holders.
On December 1, border restrictions will ease for a range of people holding Australian visas, who will no longer need to apply for an exemption.
Human Rights Law Centre Senior Lawyer Scott Cosgriff said:
“Today’s announcement will bring joy and relief to many, including hundreds of thousands of people on temporary visas who have been barred from entering or leaving the country.
“Many of these people, whose lives are in Australia, have been separated from their loved ones, their jobs and their homes for more than 18 months.
“We hope today’s announcement is also a step towards replacing the flawed and hastily designed exemptions system, which has caused additional heartache for thousands of families during the pandemic.
“The lifting of restrictions is also a positive step for refugees whose resettlement in Australia has been postponed during the pandemic.
“It is vital that the Morrison government restart Australia’s refugee resettlement program and actively facilitate travel for 10,000 people who have been granted humanitarian visas but have been forced to wait overseas in precarious situations.”
Last week the Human Rights Law Centre released a paper, Still left behind, detailing the heart-breaking impact of Australia’s border closure and urging the Morrison government to provide a complete plan for lifting international travel restrictions.
Media contact:
Evan Schuurman, Media and Communications Manager, 0406 117 937, evan.schuurman@hrlc.org.au
Media Enquiries
Chandi Bates
Media and Communications Manager
Albanese Government must act on whistleblower reform as David McBride’s appeal dismissed
The Human Rights Law Centre, the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom and the Whistleblower Justice Fund are calling on the Albanese Government to act on urgent, robust whistleblower protection reform, after war crimes whistleblower David McBride’s appeal was dismissed today.
Read more
Tax whistleblower Richard Boyle’s guilty plea an indictment on Australia’s broken whistleblowing laws
The Human Rights Law Centre and the Whistleblower Justice Fund have condemned the Albanese Government’s ongoing prosecution of Richard Boyle, as the tax office whistleblower pleaded guilty at a hearing in Adelaide today.
Read more
Crisafulli Government’s shameful adult sentencing laws will harm kids, families, and communities
The Human Rights Law Centre and Change the Record have slammed the Crisafulli Government for passing laws that will sentence even more children to adult-length terms of imprisonment. The laws will lock up children for even longer, and harm kids, families, and communities.
Read more
Acknowledgement of Country
The Human Rights Law Centre acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Australia, including the lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Gadigal, Ngunnawal, Cammeraygal, Darug, Wadawurrung, Turrbal and Jagera people where we work from.
We pay our respect to Elders past and present. This land always was, and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
WARNING: This site contains images or names of people who have passed away.