Australia and New Zealand Immigration News

The Australian Labor Party may soon support immigrant boat 'turnbacks' according to Labor leader Bill Shorten, after party members publicly endorsed the policy.

The Australian Labour Party has historically opposed the policy, which was condemned as "leading to a chain of human rights violations, including arbitrary detention and possible torture following return to home countries" by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in September last year.

The Australian Immigration Department has sent a five-month-old baby to an immigration detention centre on Nauru Island, despite being advised against doing so. The infant, known as Asha, was sent to the Australian-run centre earlier this month; concerns remain about the conditions at the facility.

Located in the Central Pacific, Nauru Island is home to approximately 10,000 people. The island's immigration detention facility was opened on 10 September, 2001 further to an aid agreement with the Australian government.

Several immigration detention centres are to close on Christmas Island as announced in Australia's budget. The budget also confirms that there will be cuts in funding for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Refugee Council of Australia.

It's expected that the closures will save $555 million over the next five years as a result of consolidation of the Australian immigration detention centre network.

Tony Abbott, the Australian Prime Minister, has said that Iran should take back its citizens who have been unsuccessful in securing refugee status in Australia. Abbott confirmed that he would be lobbying Tehran regarding the issue.

Julie Bishop, Australia's Foreign Minister, will raise the issue of deportation of Iranian nationals to Iran during a visit to Tehran in mid-April. The talks were an attempt to reduce the pressure on Australian immigration camps on the Pacific islands of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.

The personal details of world leaders including Cameron, Merkel, Modi, Obama and Putin, were accidentally sent to Asian Cup football tournament organisers. Despite the security breach, the Australian Immigration Department did not deem it necessary to inform world leaders of the incident.

Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, has announced tougher immigration controls and a national security crackdown. His announcement comes in the wake of the Sydney hostage siege in December 2014, when an Iranian refugee, Man Haron Monis, walked into a cafe and held 18 hostages at gunpoint.

A report into the siege came to the conclusion that the decisions made by authorities regarding Monis enabling him to stay in Australia were reasonable. However, the report did recommend changes to immigration, citizenship and bail legislation.