After 10 years of pain and uncertainty my family risks being torn apart by Labor’s deportation bill. By Vashini Jayakumar, The Guardian

My name is Vashini Jayakumar. I am a mother, a childcare worker and a permanent resident of Australia. I am also one of the people whose families risk being torn apart by the government’s deportation bill.

If this bill is passed, my husband, Riswan – who is the father of our three young children – would be put in jail if he does not immediately leave Australia, just because he refuses to leave me and our young children. This is not right – it is inhumane. It is more trauma for our family, after more than 10 years of pain and uncertainty.

After 10 years of pain and uncertainty my family risks being torn apart by Labor’s deportation bill. By Vashini Jayakumar, The Guardian

Mothballing Nauru’s detention centre could save $250 million in a year. By Olivia Ireland, James Massola and Angus Thompson, SMH

The Nauru facility has operated for a decade under both Coalition and Labor governments, and was briefly empty mid-last year, before asylum seekers were discovered in Western Australia’s far north in November.

If the facility remains mothballed beyond the initial 12 months, the government anticipates banking $774 million in savings over four years.

Mothballing Nauru’s detention centre could save $250 million in a year. By Olivia Ireland, James Massola and Angus Thompson, SMH

Serious concerns over ABF conduct using local fishermen in search for unlawful arrivals. By Carli Willis & Jennifer Enosa, NITV

The Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) has slammed the federal government for using local fishermen and their personal dinghies to assist the Australian Border Force (ABF) in search and locate operations of unlawful international arrivals.

On Monday June 6, five men believed to be unlawful arrivals from Senegal in West Africa were located in mangroves on Saibai Island.

TSIRC has also renewed calls to bolster services and invest in resources in the Torres Strait, which is on the frontline of Australia’s only active international border.

Saibai is just 4 kilometres from Papua New Guinea – the neighbouring country’s shoreline is visible from the island.

Serious concerns over ABF conduct using local fishermen in search for unlawful arrivals. By Carli Willis & Jennifer Enosa, NITV

Third boat arrival detected in a week, but no one taken to Nauru, By Angus Thompson and James Massola, SMH

Four Vietnamese asylum seekers intercepted by the Australian Border Force off the coast of Broome late last week are still being kept at sea, as are 33 people of unknown nationality who arrived at Christmas Island after their vessel was damaged………..

……….A second government official, who asked not to be named so they could speak freely, described people smugglers as having a new “drop and run” operational model that was challenging for Border Force.

Smaller numbers of would-be asylum seekers are being shipped to Australia in faster boats, dropped onshore and told not to alert authorities to their presence immediately so the people smugglers can get away.

Third boat arrival detected in a week, but no one taken to Nauru, By Angus Thompson and James Massola, SMH

The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy to see why. By Daniel Ghezelbash, The Conversation

It potentially affects tens of thousands of people, most of whom have spent years living in the Australian community. Those who fail to comply with directions to cooperate in their removal would face a mandatory jail term of between one and five years. Where Australia’s flawed processes have failed to identify protection claims, people may be forced to choose between going to jail, or cooperating in their removal to a country where they may face persecution or other serious harm.

The government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its deportation bill. Given the findings, it’s easy to see why. By Daniel Ghezelbash, The Conversation

33 suspected asylum seekers reach Christmas Island by boat. By Andrew Greene, ABC News

The group of 33 arrivals was initially held on Christmas Island by the Australian Border Force (ABF) but has since been transferred to another offshore facility, understood to be Nauru.

A spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil told the ABC "as is long standing practice, we do not confirm or comment on operational matters".

33 suspected asylum seekers reach Christmas Island by boat. By Andrew Greene, ABC News

Home Affairs is a disaster. It needs an urgent and radical overhaul. By Bernard Keane, Crikey

…Remember, this is the sector that played a role in the way the Coalition lost control of Australia’s borders to visa scammers and fake refugee applicants. It should have been under intense scrutiny. But there is literally no aspect of OMARA’s operations that was done properly: the framework within which it was supposed to operate didn’t exist or was outdated; it didn’t use its powers to investigate complaints; it didn’t vet applicants; it didn’t use its powers to monitor agents; it didn’t use its powers to sanction agents; it didn’t report properly; and it misled its minister.

Home Affairs is a disaster. It needs an urgent and radical overhaul. By Bernard Keane, Crikey

A lifetime of immigration detention can never be Australia’s punishment for simply not holding a valid visa. By Sanmati Verma, The Guardian

Instead of increasingly desperate legal workarounds, the Albanese government must confront the truth at the heart of this sorry legal saga. Freedom cannot be determined solely by nationality or visa status. Whatever the reason that a person cannot be deported, a lifetime of detention can never be the answer.

Sanmati Verma is acting legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre

A lifetime of immigration detention can never be Australia’s punishment for simply not holding a valid visa. By Sanmati Verma, The Guardian

High Court dismisses ASF17 migration case. By Matthew Doran, ABC News

In a statement, Mr Giles said that the government had "fought strongly" to defend its position in the High Court.

"We welcome today's unanimous decision of the court, which has found that individuals who are not cooperating with their own removal are able to remain in immigration detention until they are removed from Australia," he said. 

"Community safety continues to be our highest priority and we will continue to take all necessary steps to keep Australians as safe as possible."

High Court dismisses ASF17 migration case. By Matthew Doran, ABC News

Australian politicians lock more people up, for longer. By Greg Barns, P&I

Take youth offending. The Queensland Labor government, desperate to win an election this year, last week announced that detention was no longer the last resort for youth! You read it correctly. It is a return to the 19th century, literally. As the JRI’s Director Dr Mindy Sitori said of the ‘plan’; “Locking up children is already costing Queensland taxpayers over $218 million per year, while a new 80-bed youth detention centre to cater for the overflow will cost more than $600 million in building costs alone.” And as she rightly pointed out, the “punitive approach is failing Queenslanders on every front – creating a backlog in the court system, dangerous overcrowding in detention centres and an overflow into adult watchhouses that continues to violate the basic human rights, safety and wellbeing of children as young as 10.”

Australian politicians lock more people up, for longer. By Greg Barns, P&I

The Coalition says it can improve Labor’s deportation bill – but might Dutton blow it up instead? By Paul Karp, The Guardian

Six weeks ago the Coalition and the Greens teamed up to punt Labor’s controversial deportation bill to a Senate inquiry.

It was a sign of the Albanese government’s vulnerability on the immigration detention issue since the NZYQ high court decision that the opposition felt it had more to gain by keeping the issue running than helping to pass tough new laws.

For the Greens, it was a chance to kill a bill they hated. It contains mandatory minimum sentences of one year in prison for a non-citizen refusing to cooperate with their deportation, as well as ministerial powers to blacklist whole countries from new visa applications.

The Coalition says it can improve Labor’s deportation bill – but might Dutton blow it up instead? By Paul Karp, The Guardian

Striving to be a 'good migrant' led Qin Qin down a damaging path of overwork. By Charis Chang, SBS News

Qin arrived in Australia to join her father in 1989 when she was three years old and quickly adapted to life here, she writes in her book ‘Model Minority Gone Rogue’.

She was soon excelling academically, encouraged by her "tiger mother" who enrolled her in piano, violin, Chinese, swimming, art, maths and gymnastics lessons.

When asked what she did on her weekends, her answer was "homework".

Striving to be a 'good migrant' led Qin Qin down a damaging path of overwork. By Charis Chang, SBS News

IOC Refugee Olympic Team to represent more than 100 million displaced people at the Olympic Games Paris 2024

Thirty-six athletes from 11 different countries, hosted by 15 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and competing across 12 sports were named today as members of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024. The announcement was made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, during a live-streamed ceremony from Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland. Appearing at the Olympic Games for the third time, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team will represent the more than 100 million displaced people around the world.

IOC Refugee Olympic Team to represent more than 100 million displaced people at the Olympic Games Paris 2024

Biloela Tamil family says government's proposed migration laws would have seen them jailed. By Evelyn Manfield, ABC News

The government has consistently said the migration legislation "closes a loophole" for people who have "no legal grounds" to remain in Australia, and would give the government powers it should already have.

But supporters of the Biloela family said the government's bill was "cruel" and would break-up communities and families, like was the case with the Nadesalingam family in Biloela.

Biloela Tamil family says government's proposed migration laws would have seen them jailed. By Evelyn Manfield, ABC News

‘Deep concern’ over alleged assault of 73-year-old Perth woman by detainee released under NZYQ decision. By Ben Doherty & AAP, The Guardian

Labor frontbencher Ed Husic said the situation was concerning.

“We are deeply concerned about what we have seen, we have had to respond to a court decision that required the release of those detainees and put in place measures to be able to protect the Australian public as much as we possibly can,” he told ABC TV on Tuesday.

‘Deep concern’ over alleged assault of 73-year-old Perth woman by detainee released under NZYQ decision. By Ben Doherty & AAP, The Guardian

Road not taken: the moment Andrew Giles passed on chance to shut down detention court case. By Paul Karp, The Guardian

A submission to the immigration minister, released under freedom of information, shows that on 18 September Giles refused to give NZYQ a visa or release him into community detention, nine days before the government approached its Five Eyes allies to deport him.

The government lost the high court challenge in November, resulting in the release of more than 150 immigration detainees.

Road not taken: the moment Andrew Giles passed on chance to shut down detention court case. By Paul Karp, The Guardian