People movement - responses by global actors Flashcards
What is the situation in Australia in relation to people movement?
According to the Refugee Council of Australia, Australia accepted around 19,500 refugees for the 2022/23 financial year. Australia’s refugee policy is seen as harsh to cosmopolitan organisations, but is justified by Australia’s realist views.
How has realism impacted Australia’s response to the ethical issue of people movement?
The use of mandatory detention since the 1990’s was used to prioritise the national security and border protection of the state and its citizens from people trading, and illegal refugees that have not been vetted by the government. In 2015, Australia launched a campaign called ‘turning back the boats’, where the detention of all asylum seekers arriving in Australia waters occurs offshore in processing centres on Nauru and Manus islands.
Operation sovereign borders was introduced in 2013, and is ongoing. The military-led operation aims to prevent unauthorised maritime arrivals, and to protect the national security of the Australian people. Maritime borders are patrolled ‘all day, every day’, where the campaign promises ‘zero chance’ to enter Australia. This operation was relatively successful, as numbers of arrivals reduced from 20,000 in 2013 to 160 (2014) and then 0 until recent boat arrivals in 2024.
The realist response of state actions in self-interest above the views of the international community is demonstrated through operation sovereign borders, as it is a display of Australia’s priority of national security from external threats, as well as the use of the detention centre, which has received bipartisan support.
What is a cosmopolitan response to Australia’s approach to the ethical issue of people movement?
Poor conditions within offshore processing facilities have been criticised through the release of public reports from UNICEF and Amnesty International.
Australia has been criticised for breaching the 1951 Refugee convention, including right to seek asylum and freedom of movement (Article 26) the prohibition of penalizing refugees for their mode of arrival (Article 31). In 2015, the US called upon Australia at the 20155 UN Human Rights Council to enter ‘humane and respect for human rights of asylum seekers, including those processed offshore’. Furthermore, the UNHRC condemned Australia for the treatment of refugees in 2018.
Thus, a cosmopolitan response to Australia’s treatment of refugees would be the recognition of the universality of the 1951 Refugee Convention, and Australia’s obligations within it. It is argued that Australia should prioritise the issues relating to people movement and refugees into the state, rather than the prioritisation of the state.
