Australia has a long history of accepting refugees for resettlement, with over 700,000 refugees settling in Australia since 1945. As a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Australia must ensure people who meet the refugee definition are not returned to countries where they would face threats, through the principle of non-refoulement. In Malaysia, where there is no legal framework for refugees, UNHCR strives to meet protection challenges and will continue advocating for a more favorable environment, though refugees currently lack access to services and face risks of arrest and deportation.

1. An Australian Refugee Story Australia has a long history of accepting refugees for resettlement and over 700 000 refugees and displaced persons, including thousands during and immediately after World War II, have settled in Australia since 1945.

2. So what’s been in the news? As a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Australia has agreed to ensure that people who meet the definition of refugee under the Convention are not sent back to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened. This is known as the principle of non-refoulement.

3. Situation in Malaysia In Malaysia, UNHCR strives to meet the challenges inherent in delivering protection in an environment of mixed migration, without a legal framework for dealing with refugees. There is a lacking of access to public services, a risk of arrest, detention and deportation. Malaysia has not signed the 1951 Convention UNHCR are the primary provider of protectionto refugees UNHCR will continue to register, determine refugee status, provide documentation and intervene on behalf of individuals in the event of arrests. The Office will strengthen efforts to provide social services and encourage self-reliance among refugee communities. UNHCR will continue to engage with the Malaysian Government to advocate for a more favourable protection environment for refugees in the country.

4. High Court Injunction On August 31 2011, trhe High Court of Australia imposed a permanent injunction against deporting asylum seekers to Malaysia. In a 6:1 ruling it declared the Immigration Minister Chris Bowen cannot validly declare a country (as one to which asylum seekers can be taken for processing) unless that country is legally bound by international law or its own domestic law, to provide asylum seekers with effective procedures for assessing their protection needs; protect the asylum seekers until their refugee claims are determined and also protect them until they return voluntarily to their homeland or are resettled in another country.

5. Australia's ImmigrationDetention Policy and Practice Australian law requires the detention of all non-citizens who are in Australia without a valid visa (unlawful non-citizens). This means that immigration officials have no choice but to detain persons who arrive without a visa (unauthorised arrivals), or persons who arrive with a visa and subsequently become unlawful because their visa has expired or been cancelled (authorised arrivals). Australian law makes no distinction between the detention of adults and children.

6. Australia Humanitarian Program categories Onshore protection The onshore component of the Humanitarian Program aims to provide options for people who wish to apply for protection (or asylum) after arrival in Australia. Refugee People who are subject to persecution in their home country, who are typically outside their home country, and are in need of resettlement. The majority of applicants who are considered under this category are identified and referred by the UNHCR to Australia for resettlement. Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) for people outside their home country who are subject to substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of human rights in their home country, and immediate family of persons who have been granted protection in Australia.

7. Humanitarian Program grants by category 2004–05 to 2009–10

8. 2009–10 offshore visa grants Australia by top ten countries of birth

9. Boat arrivals by financial year since 1989

11. People’s responses

12. Ipsos Mackay Report 2011 This report researched Australian community attitudes to asylum seekers and identified four main attitudinal groups !. Describe in your own words, the four attitudes and the relating percentages in this pie graph, in four separate sentences