Amnesty International will continue to campaign for:

• an end to mandatory detention
• the closure of the detention centre on Christmas Island
• an end to policies excising certain offshore areas from the Australian migration zone
• the abolishment of long term and indefinite detention
• support for all asylum seekers and those displaced in refugee camps around the world.

Some recent changes from the Australian Government:

Closure of the detention centre on Nauru

Part of the 'Pacific Solution', Nauru detention centre was opened in 2001 to detain refugees who had arrived on the MV Tampa. Since then it has also housed refugees from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Many of those detained were children.

Abolition of Temporary Protection Visas

Temporary Protection Visas (TPV) granted legitimate refugees and asylum seekers only three years of protection before requiring them to reprove their refugee status. TPVs left many legitimate refugees in legal limbo and with limited rights, such as being denied the right to travel outside of Australia, to family reunion and to accessing services such as health care and English classes. The abolition of TPVs will benefit more than 1000 refugees in Australia.

US$1.4 million contributed to UNHCR's refugee program in Bangladesh

The donation will be used to build 280 new six unit bunalows in Kutapalong Camp, which will provide protection to 10,000 refugees. Last year, Amnesty International took part in a mission with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Centre for Refugee Research in order to develop solutions for the Rohingya refugees currently living in refugee camps in Bangladesh.

Additional 500 refugee places in 2008-09 for those affected by the conflict in Iraqi

The UNHCR has estimated that more than 4.7 million Iraqis have left their homes due to the continuing conflict and violence. The crisis in Iraq requires an ongoing commitment from the international community, including Australia, to offer protection to Iraqi refugees.

600 places for Iraqi employees and families who helped the Australian Defence Force

Iraqis who have engaged with the Australian Government risk their personal security as Australia withdraws its combat forces from southern Iraq. This measure will allow them to re-start their lives in Australia.