Background

23 January 2008 Bad Australian example spreads around the world.

2 October 2007 Facing an imminent election, and desperate to hold on to power, the Australian government pulls out The Race Card again, this time attacking Sudanese immigrants.

October 2007 Erecting a memorial to the people who drowned trying to seek asylum in Australia.

ASIO ordered to release documents used to decide three men were dangers to national security. 3 November 2007

Sri Lankans on Nauru at 29 October 2007 still with nowhere to go, despite being recognised as refugees by Australian government.

Saved by a Razor Blade 4 October 2007 All too often, dangerous measures are required to avoid deportation.

Clearing his desk 28 September 2007 Last week saw two Tanzanians returned. A Chinese man who has been tortured is to face removal next week.

Confessions of a people smuggler 27 September 2007 Australian diplomat Bruce Haigh tells of people smuggling in another era

The detention of Dr Haneef once more highlights the seemingly limitless power of the Immigration Act. July 2007

June 2007 World's fastest growing refugee crisis. Read an article in Socialist Alternative magazine

Nauru still being used by Australia to dump unwated asylum seekers. Read these articles from The Age newspaper, 12 June 2007

Economic Management The financial cost of detention centres May 2007

New life for Baxter detention centre? It looks like this concentration camp will soon hold soldiers April 2007

Refugee swapping Was this set up by the sinister Ruddock?

Terror stalks Chinese asylum seekers in Australian camps April 2007

19 April 2007 Australia no help to Iraqi refugees - fleeing war caused by Australia.

Malaysia to do Australia's dirty work. Article in Age, 22 March 07, with intro by Pamela Curr.

Christmas Island Detention Centre "A gulag" 30 March article, Green Left Weekly.

3 March 2007 The Howard government is in trouble - so here comes that Race Card again.

Attempted Suicide 6 August 2006 in Baxter Detention Centre.

Abandoned How Australia treats child asylum seekers who arrive unaccompanied. 5 August 2006

Dumped at the Gate "From Detention to Despair, Recommendations for minimum standards for the Post-Detention settlement of Asylum seekers." Published by The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in December 2005

Speech by ‘Ali’ an asylum seeker on Lombok, read at GPO, Melbourne, 28 October 2005

Open letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon John Howard MP, drafted by a National Committee convened by Labor for Refugees.

Palmer Report RAC(Vic) hopes the Rt Hon John W. Howard PM's chickens are coming home to roost at last. The detention of two Australian citizens, and even the deportation of one of them, have opened up the cracks.

Baxter News Inspirationally, while incarcerated, a group of Baxter detainees managed to compile, publish and distribute a regular newsletter. Prior to the Easter 2005 convergence RAC obtained a copy of the latest issue, which included the results of a survey among detainees about the prospect of loss of privilege during the forthcoming protest.

Cornelia Rau Asylum seekers give their opinion about sharing their accommodation with an Australian person.

18 October 2005 Christine Rau speaks about her sister's experiences in Baxter detention centre.

Deported to Danger 40 asylum seekers rejected and deported by the Australian government were followed to their destinations by Edmund Rice Centre for Justice & Community Education, who, with the School of Education, Australian Catholic University, published their findings in September 2004.

Chemical Restraint If someone is likely to physically struggle against deportation, it is common for the Department of Immigration to forcibly jab them with a syringe full of muscle relaxant. Read this transcript of an interview on Melbourne's community radio station, 3CR, between former ACM nurse Barbara Rogalla and human rights worker Charandev Singh.

Voices on the line While trying to get through on the phone to refugee friends locked up in Baxter detention centre, activist Tanya McConvell kept a record of her thoughts. Read her eloquent piece here. A warning to delicate people: "The magic word" makes frequent appearances.

War creates refugees Read this interesting article about why RAC opposes the occupation of Iraq.

Stand up for refugees statement by RAC, 16 November 2004

Sydney RAC activists recently organised a protest at Ruddock's house. Read a first hand report here.

Tall Tales, But True April 2004 Almost every refugee activist has read, if not bought, this very well backgrounded book by David Maher and Marianne Wilkinson. Read this review. Then buy the book.

Assaults April 2003 Refugee activist Pamela Curr records every detail in her attempt to get police to investigate brutality in Baxter detention.

Shame, Australia, Shame An article by Jane Keogh

Independent Monitors required 15 April 2003 Greens Spokesperson for Refugees, Pamela Curr, calls for independent monitoring of Baxter detention centre.

"Genuine" vs "Non-Genuine" from the point of view of one ethnic Hazara from Afghanistan. To get an insight into the problems Hazara face, both in Afghanistan and in their quest to come to Australia, read this interesting article Requires Acrobat Reader which is a free program.

The Pacific Solution The government is trying to export Australia's refugees to surrounding Pacific nations. Taking the policy to task is this fact sheet.

Forced deportations RAC organised a campaign against forced deportations. As we built up an emergency phone network to stop the deportations we produced a leaflet from which this text is taken.

Tasmania's Launceston pro-refugee campaign were an inspiration to all of us when they united in support of the Sawari family who subsequently had their TPV status reinstated.

1700 East Timorese are in Australia, some of whom have been here for 10 years. Now they face forced deportation! This interview with Fivo Freitas, a 28 year old East Timorese asylum seeker is an introduction to this crucial issue. Also included is an article by refugee advocate Gillian Davey who argues that giving residency to 300 East Timorese asylum seekers is not enough!

What are Australia's refugee numbers? Are refugees terrorists? What sort of accomodation do detention centres offer? View this article from the Edmund Rice centre for more information.

Report of the December 2003 rooftop protest and crackdown at Port Hedland Detention centre.

Iranian country info This report was compiled by RAC Canberra and looks at what Iranian refugees face if succesfully deported.

TPV holders are effective second class citizens in Australia, constantly in a state of limbo.

What was really behind the fires in the camps? Download this comprehensive background article written in December 2003

The Fall Guy Refugee activists believe the Mayor of Port Augusta was set up by the Prime Monster, John Howard.

September 2002 In far north Western Australia Curtin Detention Centre, under the psychopathic management of Greg Wallis, was even worse than Woomera.

A visit to Baxter Late 2002 Mullumbimby activist Sara Saint-Saens visited Baxter, and wrote her impressions.

Woomera Nurse speaks out 3 June 2002 Nurse Noira-Jane couldn't stand it any more.

Deportation to death describing the rejection of an asylum seeker and his deportation to Algeria, ultimately leading to his death. This is an old but nevertheless highly relevant article from the Age, Nov 2000