Reassessment of Iraqi Nationals
Minister for Immigration, Senator Amanda Vanstone, today announced that she had asked DIMIA to reassess the cases of Iraqis in the Nauru Offshore Processing Centre.
'This announcement flows from the changing environment in Iraq, new types of claims emerging from asylum seekers and updated information provided to the Australian Government by the UNHCR about the situation in Iraq since the shift to a sovereign Iraqi administration,' the Minister said.
All Iraqis in the Australian caseload on Nauru have previously been assessed as not being in need of protection.
'However, I have recently received updated information from the UNHCR on the situation in Iraq following a request I made to them in June. It is therefore appropriate to reassess their circumstances against that information.'
The Minister said the reassessments would apply to 27 Iraqi nationals, including 7 children on Nauru, previously assessed by Australia. At the same time, I have asked the Department to consider the implications of the changed circumstances in Iraq for the 15 Iraqis, including one child, currently in mainland detention centres.
'The Australian Government has always taken seriously the need to assess the effect of changing circumstances on the protection claims of individuals, even where those claims have been previously assessed.'
'In addition, Australia has consistently worked with the UNHCR and been guided by their assessments for the provision of protection to those entitled to it, under the 1951 convention.'
'This is consistent with the approach we applied to the Afghani caseload on Nauru which led to a total of 146 people, including 54 children, being determined to now need temporary protection in light of changed circumstances in parts of Afghanistan.'
