Australia's asylum policy ‘draconian’, Human Rights Watch report says
Respected rights group criticises Australia for its policy towards asylum seekers
Australia has damaged its human rights record by persistently undercutting protection for refugees, including a “draconian” policy to send asylum-seekers to Pacific island camps, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.
In its annual World Report, the group said successive Australian governments had prioritised domestic politics over international legal obligations towards asylum-seekers, who faced “draconian new policies in Australia” diverting them to third countries.
Under the previous centre-left Labor government, Australia began sending asylum-seekers arriving by boat to Papua New Guinea and Nauru for processing, later tightening the rules to say none would be resettled in Australia.
The new conservative government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott has hardened the policy further, implementing a military-led programme to turn back asylum-seeker boats at sea, provided it is safe to do so.
“Last year Australia’s two major political parties were hell-bent on using cruel policies to deter asylum-seekers.”
“Last year Australia’s two major political parties were hell-bent on using cruel policies to deter asylum-seekers, even at the expense of the country’s international reputation,” said HRW Australia Director Elaine Pearson.
