Mike Steketee writes in The Australian about the compromises that were made for the hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees  during the Vietnam war. For Australia to return to these much more reasonable policies, Australia must look for regional cooperation on the issue.  He quotes CPD founder and former Department of Immigration head John Menadue: “It would be harder in Malaysia, where the UNHCR total was 95,300, most of them refugees, but where we still … more

CPD founder John Menadue appears on ABC Radio to discuss regional solutions to Australia’s asylum seeker policy. After the most recent asylum seeker tragedy off the coast of Java, Menadue outlines the fact that politicians need to reconsider the Malaysia deal as the first step toward a regional agreement. “it doesn’t matter where processing happens as long as it’s fair and efficient.” You can listen to the interview here  Read the full CPD report, A New … more

Bruce Hawker writing in The Australian provides commentary on Tony Abbott’s refusal to negotiate on asylum seeker policy. He qoutes CPD founder and former head of Department of Immigration John Menadue. “Australians don’t seem to have any real problem with accepting asylum-seekers – provided they come here by plane. They do struggle, however, with the idea that the few refugees who breach our border security have a legitimate right to seek asylum in this way. … more

Opponents of the Gillard government’s so-called Malaysian solution need to think again, writes John Menadue and Arja Keski-Nummi in The Age here. They look back at the agreement, the opportunities it offers for steering us on a different course and why Australia needs to work constructively with its neighbours. “Whether countries in the region are parties to the refugee convention or not, they have been loath to recognise that they have asylum seekers and refugees … more

Writing in The Punch, CPD fellow Kate Gauthier criticises the narr0w-minded policies put forward by both parties on the asylum seeker issue. A fair and equitable debate is being called for. The two major parties both propose harsh deterrence as a way of stopping the boats. Public debate is then focusing on evaluating only on those narrow options put forward by Bowen and Morrison. Even worse, it is suggested that if you do not agree with … more

There is a real myth surrounding the public’s warped perception on asylum seekers arriving by boat, and CPD’s Director John Menadue holds Australia’s media highly responsible. With asylum seekers arriving by boat being caught up in a media frenzy based on little fact, certain realities are imperative for public knowledge: 76% of asylum seekers in the past decade came by air. There are 50,000 real illegals in the country who have overstayed their visas. They … more

After years of locking up asylum seekers who arrive by boat, but allowing those who arrive by air to live in the community while their refugee claims are being processed, the Federal Government has decided to start processing both parties in the same way. Welcomed by the UNHCR, this decision could move away from the toxic controversy that surrounds this issue and possibly lead to a more positive and prosperous outlook for asylum seekers themselves, … more

A prospective amendment to the Migration Act that is about to be heard by the Senate, makes it an offence to be a ‘people smuggler’ and may harm the cases of up to 350 Indonesian nationals who are held in Australian courts under these charges. The People Smuggling Deterrence Bill 2011 which has already passed the lower house on November 1,  will amend the migration act to make it an offence to bring a person … more