August Focus:
Abolish the ‘Fast Track’ Assessment Process for refugees
Introduced in 2013 by the Coalition to assess protection claims more quickly, ‘Fast Track Processing’ was implemented by changes to the Migration Act 1958. (Maritime Powers Amendment: Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload Act 2014).
‘Fast track’ replaced the Refugee Review Tribunal, an independent merits review system, with a new body, called the Immigration Assessment Authority (IAA) that no longer heard directly from people claiming asylum, but was generally restricted to information from the Department of Immigration.
Despite its claims of rapid assessment, review and removal, many people are still waiting for a decision on their claims. ‘Fast track’ is not fast! As of December 2021, 31,122 people were classified as being in the Legacy Caseload. Most of these people have been subject to ‘Fast Track’.
Everyone who arrived by boat and sought asylum between August 2012 and January 2014, and also refugees who are reapplying for Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs), are subject to Fast Track Assessment and Removal Processes.
You might consider writing a letter/email as part of a campaign to abolish the ‘Fast Track Assessment Process.
All resources for letter writing here.
Other helpful resources
Kaldor Centre on Fast Track determination
Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) fast tracking statistics
The Guardian – fast track assessment fundamentally unfair to refugees
Refugee Research online: Trauma, mental health and the fast track assessment caseload