Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2020
Abstract
Australia’s current approach to processing individuals who arrive by air and raise protection claims at or before immigration clearance at Australian airports has not been previously explored. This article reveals a set of policy and procedural instructions, recently released by the Department of Home Affairs (‘DHA’) under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth), which establishes the administrative process of ‘entry screening’. The article examines entry screening within the transnational framework governing Australia’s legal obligations towards individuals seeking international protection. While much scholarly and public attention has been directed towards policies such as offshore detention and interdiction at sea, the documents reveal that policies designed to deter ‘unauthorised maritime arrivals’ have similar manifestations — and consequences — for ‘unauthorised air arrivals’. The article then turns to an analysis of domestic law, arguing that the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) does not authorise the entry screening procedures and that the procedures contradict certain statutory guarantees and procedural fairness. The documents further indicate that DHA lacks accurate data on protection claims made in Australian airports. Finally, the article examines why the current practice of entry screening violates Australia’s international legal obligations of non-refoulement and non-penalisation.
Publication Title
Melbourne University Law Review
Volume
44
Issue
1
First Page
162
Last Page
211
Recommended Citation
Jefferies, R, Ghezelbash, D and Hirsch, A, ‘Assessing Refugee Protection Claims at Australian Airports: The Gap Between Law, Policy, and Practice’ (2020) 44(1) Melbourne University Law Review 162.
Subjects - Topical (LCSH)
Australia--Emigration and immigration—Government policy; Emigration and immigration law--Australia; Airports--Security measures--Australia
Geographic Coverage
Australia
Genre/Form
essays
Type
Text
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
