That no Australian government in almost a decade has successfully brought this policy to a formal close is astonishing. In fact, Australia ceased transferring new arrivals offshore in 2014.
The Home Affairs Minister says Australia is exploring resettlement overseas for 'broad cohorts' of people. But such deals do not get Australia off the hook.
Both major parties support offshore processing and boat turnbacks. But public opinion is not so clear-cut. And nor are the policy choices, writes Claire Higgins.
Without a proper refugee status determination procedure, asylum seekers are left in indefinite detention with no certainty about (or control over) their future, writes Claire Higgins.
At a cost of A$826 million, the processing and detention of around 2,500 asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island is a scandalous waste of taxpayers' money, write Joyce Chia and Claire Higgins.
