Human Rights Overboard: Seeking Asylum in Australia

Drawing togetherÊfor the first time the oral testimony and written submissions from the PeopleÕs Inquiry into Detention, this powerful and vital overview stands as an indictment of AustraliaÕs refugee policy and demonstratesÊhow social work can contribute to changing public perceptions and to challenging harsh policies that violate core human rights tenets. Following the wake of the Cornelia Rau scandal, this record depicts the establishment of the PeopleÕs Inquiry, documenting the heartbreaking evidence they reviewed regarding asylum seekersÕ journeys to Australia andÊthe lives of refugeesÊduring and after theÊdetermination process and detention. Clearly and comprehensively presented, this is a haunting journey guided by voices from every side of the fenceÑformer and current immigration detainees, refugee advocates, lawyers, doctors, psychiatrists, and former detention and immigration staff. Taken together, their stories record a humanitarian disaster that sounds a warning to current and future policymakers, establishing a message that will resonate for years to come.