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.

People seeking asylum have constantly expressed to RCOA their keen desire to improve their English and to undertake further education in order to contribute to Australia. There are currently around 30,000 asylum seekers living in Australia who arrived by boat and are waiting to have their claims processed. If they are found to be refugees...

Although Islamophobia rose in Australia after 2001 it has been latent in recent years. It is on the rise again with collateral damage from government measures including verbal and physical attacks on Australian Muslims.

Citizenship provides refugees with a sense of meaningful security and protection, and better enables them to sponsor family members for Australian visas and travel to visit family. This research raises serious questions about discrimination in access to citizenship for refugees who came by boat to Australia.

This inquiry examined the responsibilities of the Commonwealth Government in connection with the management and operation of the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru and recommends changes.