Speakers: Nick Poynder (refugee lawyer who challenged mandatory detention in 1992) and Dr. Michael Dudley (Suicide Prevention Australia). This year marks 20 years since the introduction of mandatory detention. Before 1992, refugees who has arrived by boat were not detained. But when Cambodian refugees began arriving in 1989 the Labor government began moving to detain them. In 1992 lawyers including Nick Poynder launched a challenge to the detention of 15 asylum seekers for over two years. To stop this the Keating Labor government passed legislation on May 6 to entrench indefinite detention. This forum will discuss the history of the policy, and how it was not so long ago that mandatory detention did not exist. 6pm Monday May 28, Teachers Federation building, 23-33 Mary St, Surry Hills (near Central Station). Organised by Refugee Action Coalition Contact 0417 275 713 refugeeaction.org.au
Forum: 20 Years on: How Refugee Detention began and why mandatory detention needs to end
Monday, May 28, 2012 - 18:00