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[This is an extract from my honours thesis analysing Australia’s Mandatory Detention Policy giving special attention to the implications on refugee children.]

The issue of participation of people with disability in the open workforce has been the subject of much public debate in recent months. This is largely the result of the 'Welfare to Work' package announced in the May 2005 Commonwealth Budget. However, the issue is a longstanding one, as indicated in the submissions to the Inquiry.

1. BACKGROUND TO UNAA's CONCERN 2. THIS INQUIRY 3. AUSTRALIA'S INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS 4. MANDATORY DETENTION OF CHILDREN, and ALTERNATIVES 5. CHILD ASYLUM SEEKERS IN DETENTION AND THE COMMUNITY 6. IMPACT OF DETENTION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN 7. MEASURES REQUIRED TO PROTECT INTERESTS OF CHILDREN 8. MEASURES FOR PROTECTING INTERESTS OF CHILD ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES 9. CONCLUSION 10. RECOMMENDATIONS

Pursuant to section 11(1)(f)(ii) of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cth), I attach a report of my inquiry into complaints made by twenty six immigration detainees at the Curtin Immigration Reception and Processing Centre. I have found that acts or practices of the Commonwealth, namely placing some of the complainants in separation detention for periods of between three and eight months, were inconsistent with or contrary to the human rights of those detainees as provided for in Article 10(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Same-sex couples are not eligible for a range of rebates and tax concessions available to opposite-sex couples. This means same-sex couples may end up paying more tax than opposite-sex couples because tax legislation does not recognise their relationship.

Samaritans, the welfare arm of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, is one of the largest regional welfare organisations in Australia. We employ more than 500 professional staff and enjoy the continuing support of over 400 volunteer workers. Managed from Newcastle, Samaritans has a regional focus on the Hunter, Central Coast and Manning regions and an annual turnover of nearly $17million. The organisation delivers more than 80 welfare and community service programs in 100 locations, providing service to more than 60,000 people annually.

In accordance with its supervisory responsibilities and Article 35 of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) on its national inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention.

Between 1 September 2008 and 22 November 2011, 180 young Indonesians who said that they were children arrived in Australia, having worked as crew on boats bringing asylum seekers to Australia. These young people were often fishermen from impoverished communities in the south and east of Indonesia. Many of them have spent long periods of time in immigration detention without being charged, or prior to being charged, with an offence.