No fairness in new Bill 

8 September 2025

Rural Australians for Refugees has expressed extreme disappointment at the Labor government’s introduction of a new bill which further undermines human rights and justice for refugees and people seeking asylum and migrants.

The new bill introduced on 4 September means that potentially thousands of people who have lived in our communities for more than a decade could be deported to Nauru – without consideration of what harm they could face, separation from family, or any urgent medical needs.

According to Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs AC, patron of Rural Australians for Refugees:

“In the Bill, the Government attempts to deny natural justice to refugees when sending them to third countries like Nauru. The Bill breaches a fundamental common law right to fairness and fails to meet Australia’s international legal obligations to people seeking protection from conflict and persecution . The Bill also undermines the High Court’s 2023 decision in the NZYQ case that indefinite immigration detention is unlawful.”

The new bill opens the possibility of mass deportations, potentially impacting tens of thousands of people who have lived in communities around Australia for more than a decade.

The new bill gives government the power to:

  • Deport people without notice and without the chance to respond or challenge a decision

  • Ignore previous, unfair decisions and mistakes

  • Force people to cooperate with their own deportation without consideration of why this is not fair or safe

  • Validate visa decisions already identified as problematic or unfair

According to Paul Dalzell, President of Rural Australians for Refugees, the new bill is an example of extreme overreach:

“The Australian government is further dividing refugees and people seeking asylum from society by introducing laws that mean they are not treated equally under the law. The introduction of this bill behind closed doors and without consultation is extremely concerning and disappointing.”

“This law not only removes recognised human rights like the right to natural justice but represents more performative cruelty against a non-existent threat. Over 3000 people are released from prison every month in Australia with no need for special legislation.” 

This decision follows the announcement of a $2.5 million arrangement with Nauru which facilitates mass deportations.