Australia's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers: Penelope Mathew, ANU

Australias handling of the asylum-seekers on board the Oceanic Viking and recent 'freeze' on Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum applications has sparked vigorous and ongoing debate. In this interview ahead of her inaugural lecture as the Freilich Foundation Professor, Penelope Mathew looks at Australias past and present policies against the backdrop of global refugee movements and makes some suggestions for steps that could be undertaken.

The full lecture can be viewed on ANUchannel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC_ua4T0YQQ

Professor Mathew has taught at the law schools of the University of Melbourne, The Australian National University and The University of Michigan, US. She has published widely in the areas of international law, human rights and refugee law. Her main area of expertise is refugee law and she has worked with and for refugees in many capacities.

In 2008, she was presented with an International Womens Day award by the ACT government for her outstanding contribution to human rights and social justice.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• refugees
• asylum seekers
• boat people
• immigration
• migration
• people smugglers
• christmas island
• migration zone
• dog whistle
• human traffic
• human trafficking
• asylum
• resettlement
• nauru
• tony abbott
• kevin rudd
• politics
• federal politics
• pacific solution
• Penelope Mathew
• Freilich Foundation
• ANU
• The ANU
• canberra
• education

[mmmail1969]

@Crzeimasha - because like everyone else on planet Earth, we're not made of money and we need to manage the arrival of people in Australia, like I'd imagine every other nation does - both those who come legally and those who just turn up. Australia (and a handful of other nations) cannot be the answer to all the worlds problems!

Yes, there are too many refugees and they are fleeing difficult situations, but you can't just turn up and demand entry to another country.

[lovelplants]

i like the lecture.. i'll see the full lecture..

[kimrecreant]

Most boat people come here for economic reasons.  But facts like this don't suit the agendas of the refugee industry, that includes smugglers, academics, lawyers.

[Crzeimasha]

"According to the UN High Commission for Refugees, at the end of 2009 there were some 9 million refugees worldwide. Only 2.6% of these, 22,548, were in Australia"

Australia? Please explain.

[182lynette]

Why are you people protesting for the real refugees you know the ones that didnt come here illegally the ones that dont have the money the ones that are waiting on the que lines the ones who have children? The children we dont see where are you actions for these people? How many illegal boat refugees that come here how many places are they taking from these families waiting to be saved legally!!!!!!!!!!!

[elliotoblio]

i dont think its xenophobia, its more based on the mental state of some one that is willing to put womens & especially childrens lives at risk on such a long journey, its not good character ,its also queue jumping a basic principal that every one does not like, it gets under your skin, who doesnt hate a queue jumper, its not on, its not about skin color its about the lack of respect for the basic system in place if we didnt have that system it would be chaos on a different level !

[S1lent2011]

@iloveyouraiz

Actually the original natives came to Australia by boat, therefore its the animals truely belong the land. The aboriginals wiped out the original mega fauna on Australia so they are not environmentally friendly at all.

[iloveyouraiz]

@U2INXS100haahahaha who is australian people ?? no one except aboriginies who are the land owner and all white were born aborigines country hahah

[jumbz2]

wow i'd really like someone to use that Human Rights Watch study against a Lib or Lab politician on a session of Q&A... facts are facts.

[caylon31]

why do they think Australian people will let them in when there is house shortage in rentals in Australia,....Australians are getting angry on all boat Asylum seekers trying to get into there country when there is a shortage off homes the only place Asylum seekers will see is a detention centre and a ride back to there country later with no progress