This submission from the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia (MYAN) opposes the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024. MYAN, which represents young people aged 12-24 from refugee and migrant backgrounds, argues the bill should not be passed in any form.
The organisation’s primary concerns include:
- Family separation: The bill could forcibly separate Australian citizens from their parents through coercive removal directions
- Criminalisation: Prison sentences of 1-5 years would worsen suffering without addressing persecution risks
- Reversal of protection: Ministers could overturn refugee status determinations, enabling deportation to dangerous countries
- Country bans: Discriminatory travel prohibitions based on nationality could separate families
- Ministerial overreach: Excessive powers granted to a single minister without transparent oversight
MYAN contends these measures violate Australia’s non-refoulement obligations under the Refugee Convention, threaten the right to liberty and family unity, and could exacerbate racism and xenophobia. The submission emphasises the psychological toll on young refugees and the potential disruption to their education, wellbeing, and integration into Australian society.
