Solomon Islands arrivals to boost Australia’s critical workforce need Economy & Industry The federal government has urged state and territory counterparts to opt into a Pacific workforce scheme, as Australia welcomes the first group of quarantine-free workers
Australian model of offshore processing a ‘policy failure’, researchers say August 12, 2021 By Shannon Jenkins Federal The federal government’s model of offshore processing has been dubbed a ‘policy failure’ by researchers, in a scathing report that found the system has not
The Pacific scheme gatekeeping fish stocks and raising livelihoods June 17, 2021 By Melissa Coade Energy & Environment The Vessel Day Scheme is delivering a fair share of fish stock profits to the members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) and
Audit finds shortcomings in Home Affairs’ procurement of services for Manus Island May 29, 2020 By Shannon Jenkins Federal The Department of Home Affairs failed to demonstrate value for money for procurements of garrison support and welfare services for an offshore detention centre in
Premium Insights and analysis Pacific Step-Up should include a welcome mat to COAG for our island neighbours April 6, 2020 By David Morris Editors' Picks Its best intentions notwithstanding, the Pacific Step-Up measures are flawed because of the problems in the Australian government’s relationships with the Pacific. Inviting the neighbours
Comcare charges Defence over serious workplace injuries; still faces calls to go after Home Affairs August 28, 2019 By Stephen Easton Federal The Department of Defence faces three new charges over workplace health and safety breaches after an investigation by Comcare, but some lawyers continue to wonder
The government was defeated on the medivac bill, but that does not mean the end of the government February 13, 2019 By Anne Twomey News The Morrison government has been defeated in the House of Representatives by the passage of a government bill containing amendments made against its wishes that allow for
Three good old dust-ups from the first day of estimates October 24, 2017 By Stephen Easton News As usual there were plenty of dust-ups between the Dorothy Dixers on the first day of the Senate’s supplementary estimates hearings yesterday. Here’s a run-down
Comcare befuddled by 'structural complexity' of offshore detention centres May 19, 2017 By Stephen Easton Features Fundamentally, regulators with responsibility for maintaining compliance with a specific piece of legislation need to know that act inside out, including what powers it gives
Call to rethink offshore detention management after scathing audit January 18, 2017 By David Donaldson Foreign Affairs & Immigration The current outsourcing model used by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection to deliver offshore detention services in Nauru and Manus Island is risky
Perverse incentives at work in Nauru subcontracting August 17, 2016 By David Donaldson Features The finer details of government contracting don’t tend to grab headlines, but when you’re dealing with some of society’s most vulnerable individuals — people in detention
Obey 'the boss' or obey the law? The dilemma of detention policy February 17, 2016 By Max Costello Features The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is considering returning — to the Manus Island or Nauru detention centres — each of the 267 asylum seekers who
Dangers of detention centres under control, says safety watchdog July 2, 2015 By Stephen Easton Features Federal work health and safety watchdog Comcare and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection have answered critics and asserted they are making a genuine
Tony Kevin: a new look at the boat people policy challenge June 24, 2015 By Tony Kevin Features When I wrote and published Reluctant Rescuers in April 2012, literally hundreds of asylum-seeking boat people were regularly drowning in waters adjacent to Australia, as
