Quick Update: Moving Sideways on Refugees

Quick Update:
Howard Moving Sideways

A number of human rights organisations have accused the government of moving sideways on the issue of much needed Refugee Rights Reforms in the wake of the Palmer Report. Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has lended cautious support to reforms undertaken by the Howard Government (after pressure from moderate Liberals, including Petro Georgiou) to end the detention of young children. According to their Press Release, "While welcoming today’s developments, Amnesty International Australia noted that much remains to be done to ensure that Australia’s immigration detention policy is consistent with the government’s international human rights obligations." The criticisms have been echoed by A Just Australia - a refugee activist group - who have pointed out that "The Australian Government has excised more Islands from Australia's migration zone earlier this week." In the press release, Spokeswoman Kate Gauthier states that "If the Government was bringing in genuine reform of asylum seeker policy, they would not at the same be finding ways to reduce the ability of people to claim asylum." Click through to add your comment.