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Asylum Seekers and Refugees
7 November 2025SpeechBuilding bridges: Advancing refugee protection in a divided world
Hugh de Kretser speaks about the need to advance refugee protections and the measures Australia should take, at the 2025 Kaldor Centre Conference. -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
29 October 2025Media Release
Human Rights Commissioner calls for transparency in Nauru deportation arrangement
Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner has warned that the first deportation to Nauru under Australia’s new deportation deal exposes a disturbing lack of transparency and raises serious human rights concerns. -
Commission - General
9 October 2025Media ReleaseFinalists announced for 2025 Australian Human Rights Awards
A diverse group of human rights advocates has been named as finalists in the 2025 Australian Human Rights Awards, ranging from youth support workers and filmmakers to justice advocates and medical professionals. -
Commission - General
10 October 2025Speech
Achieving stronger legal human rights protections in Australia
Hugh de Kretser discusses progress and setbacks in Australia's human rights protections at the annual Castan Centre for Human Rights Law Conference in July 2025. -
Rights and Freedoms
16 July 2019Media ReleaseUrgent call for Federal Government to protect 30,000 refugees and asylum seekers at risk in the community
The Australian Human Rights Commission calls on the Australian Government to make urgent changes to improve protections for approximately 30,000 refugees and asylum seekers living in the Australian community. A new report released today, Lives on hold: Refugees and asylum seekers in the ‘Legacy Caseload’, reveals the human rights situation for approximately 30,000 refugees and asylum seekers… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
19 September 2018Webpage
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
Learn how everyone has the right to seek asylum and be free from persecution, regardless of how or in what country they arrive in Australia. -
Rights and Freedoms
29 August 2025Media Release
Human Rights Commissioner concerned about proposed changes to Migration Act
Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay has expressed serious concerns about the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Migration Act, warning they could undermine human rights and breach Australia’s international legal obligations. -
Rights and Freedoms
3 April 2013Publication
Asylum seekers and refugees
back to Immigration detention, Asylum Seekers and Refugees Who are asylum seekers and refugees? What are Australia’s human rights obligations towards asylum seekers and refugees? Are asylum seekers and refugees subject to immigration detention in Australia? What does the Commission do to monitor conditions and treatment of people held in immigration detention? How are asylum seekers’ claims… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
26 July 2019Media Release
Transferring asylum seeker families to Nauru – human rights report
The practice of sending to Nauru families with young children who arrived in Australia seeking asylum is the subject of an inquiry report by the Australian Human Rights Commission tabled in Parliament today. [1] Mr Richard Lancaster SC, as delegate of the President, found that the regional processing centre on Nauru was not an appropriate place to send families with young children… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
27 November 2024News story
Explainer: Commission does not support the Migration Amendment Bill
The Australian Government has introduced new migration laws into Parliament to expand search and seizure powers in immigration detention centres. The Commission does not support the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2024 -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
16 July 2019Publication
Lives on hold: Refugees and asylum seekers in the 'Legacy caseload' (2019)
This report examines the human rights implications of policies affecting asylum seekers in the ‘Legacy Caseload’. -
Education25 February 2015Webpage
Statistics about Asylum Seekers and Refugees
Statistics from 2014 Back to main Face the Facts page All people are entitled to protection of their human rights, including the right to seek asylum, regardless of how or where they arrive in Australia. Australia has ratified the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951. This Convention defines who is a refugee, sets out the basic rights that countries should guarantee to refugees… -
Commission - General
4 February 2025E-bulletin (Monthly)
President's message | February 2025
UN decisions confirm Australia's human rights obligations to refugees and people seeking asylum sent offshore The Refugee Convention is the international community’s commitment to work together to protect people fleeing violence and persecution. When Australia agreed to be bound by the Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol, we agreed to protect refugees who came to our country seeking… -
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
13 September 2013Opinion piece
Australia, Human Rights, Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Australia, Human Rights, Refugees and Asylum Seekers: A comment on the current human rights issues faced by Australia in the processing of refugees and asylum seekers By Gillian Triggs, published in Issue 3 2013, Volume 2 of the International Advocate It is clear that Australia is currently facing challenges with respect to asylum seekers and refugees, particularly those who arrive by boat…