• Justice for Asylum Seekers

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22 March 2002There is a better way of dealing with the needs of refugees arriving in Australia – whether with or without a visa, by boat or by plane. This 2002 document has been added to APO as it outlines how the process could be done with little need for detention.

The Better Way will not compromise Australia’s security, health or community values, and will actually be cheaper.

There are alternatives to detention that do not compromise Australia’s security, are cheaper, more humane and which strengthen our sense of community. So what is a better way?

Rather than being classified by how they arrived here, asylum seekers should be classified by their care needs and likely security risk. This would allow more refugees to be housed more cheaply in the community.

The Better Way is a combination of three approaches:
• Early evaluation of refugees to work out whether anyone poses a security risk, and whether there is a risk of absconding if they are placed in low-security housing
• Case management by a social worker from a national welfare agency to work with people and families to ensure they understand Australia’s refugee system, and counsel people as they move through the legal process
• Three accommodation options that house people according to a security assessment and care needs.

Security is a feature. For example:
• Community management for those considered at low risk, or no risk to the community or unlikely to abscond (this may include women and children, families and young people)
• Medium security hostel accommodation for those considered medium risk or requiring intensive services
• Continued detention for those considered high risk.

The Better Way booklet is based on the JAS proposed alternative approaches to asylum seekers: Reception and Transitional Processing System   (JAS, June 2002).

Note: JAS is no longer active -see A Just Australia for further resources.