First published in 1997, Face the Facts has become a permanent feature of the Australian Human Rights Commission's, contribution to informed factual public debate about race, Indigenous peoples and cultural diversity in Australia. This edition of Face the Facts reflects the continued demand for accurate and easy to understand information about Indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees...

'Hard-headed but not hard-hearted' is how Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston describes the 22 recommendations he and his expert panel handed down this week for asylum seeker policy in Australia. The recommendations included increasing Australia’s humanitarian intake by up to 14,000 people over the next five years, processing asylum seekers at off-shore facilities on Nauru...

On 28 June 2012, the Prime Minister (Julia Gillard) and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Chris Bowen) announced that the Government had invited Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC AFC (Ret’d), the former chief of Australia’s defence force, to lead an expert panel to provide a report on the best way forward for Australia...

In April 2011, there were several major disturbances at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre (IDC). On 20 and 21 April, a total of nine buildings were set on fire and destroyed. The loss of amenities included the classroom, gym, medical centre and kitchen. Other protest activity included detainees demonstrating on the roof and threatening acts of...

This background note provides a snap-shot of significant developments in refugee law and policy during the period September 2010 to the end of December 2011. On 14 September 2010, Julia Gillard was re-sworn in as Australia’s 27th Prime Minister following the 21 August 2010 federal election. When the Australian Labor Party (ALP) commenced its second...