The debate on the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia, and elsewhere, often makes reference to cost impacts. This report from Justice for Asylum Seekers (a coalition which includes the Catholic Commission for Justice, Development and Peace) considers cost evidence for alternative accommodation and security options for asylum seekers, including community management, hostel accommodation and...

Warlords control many areas of Afghanistan and overland travel can be very dangerous, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs. It’s just one reason why Afghan refugees shouldn’t be forced to return, says Peter Mares.

Aren't all children born in Australia, 'Australian'? Not necessarily. Until 1986 every child born in this country automatically became an Australian citizen at birth - no matter who the parents were. Only children of foreign diplomats and 'enemy aliens' did not become Australian citizens. The Citizenship Act was amended in 1986 to remove automatic citizenship...

Public policy making on asylum takes place in an environment of intense public scrutiny, strong institutional constraints and international collective action problems. By assessing the relative importance of key pull factors of international migration, this article explains why, even when controlling for their differences in size, some states receive a much larger number of asylum...

Since late 2001, in the wake of the Tampa, the unauthorised arrival of boats carrying asylum seekers to Australian shores has stopped. Why? In this article, Peter Mares offers some answers.