This report outlines the issues and concerns about Australia’s asylum policies and practices that RCOA gathered in 2014 and 2015. It provides an overview of the issues that people seeking asylum themselves have raised, as well as concerns communicated by individuals and agencies supporting people seeking asylum.

Key issues include immigration detention, asylum seekers in the community, refugee status determination, offshore processing, returns and refoulement, public and political debate, and the cost of Australia’s policies. The topic that RCOA heard most about was Australia’s treatment of people seeking asylum, including mandatory and prolonged detention, which was seen to erode our identity as a generous nation.