chilout »be informed

Community detention

Read about the community detention arrangements for families.

Families split by detention

There are still "split" families, where children may be out of detention but one parent isn't.  Read more about this issue...

ChilOut history

Read an account of how ChilOut formed and grew.

HREOC's report of its 
National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention 

The long-awaited report has been tabled in Parliament, on Thursday, 13 May 2004. 
Read media releases and reports...

What can we do to support the Inquiry's recommendations?

Lesson plans on human rights, refugees & detention

HREOC Face the Facts Teaching Resources

HREOC Getting to know the Convention on the Rights of the Child
HREOC Teaching notes on its report 'A Last Resort?'
World Vision Australia Teachers' Resources 

Amnesty Australia Resources for Schools

Protecting Human Rights in Australia

Australia: A place to call home?

The Long Journey Home

The children

Nothing speaks louder than the stories of the children themselves. These examples, and many more like them, of harm suffered by children in our immigration detention centres are why ChilOut formed and why we continue to gather supporters, even now that families are living in the community.

Nauru

Read about Nauru, in Australia's "Off-shore Processing Centre" aka "Pacific Solution". 

West Papuan asylum seekers

The group from West Papua, including 7 children, have been granted Temporary Protection Visas. Read about the West Papuans...

Facts versus Myths

Learn the basic facts about asylum seekers and refugees, debunk the myths...

Alternatives

Have you heard the government explain that there is no alternative to mandatory detention for asylum seekers? There are many alternatives... Read The Better Way.

What other countries do

Compare the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia with other countries.

CRC: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Read excerpts from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. For a detailed analysis of the rights of detained children in international law, please read the HREOC Background paper.

In September 2003 Solicitor-General of Australia David Bennett, QC, said international conventions were "not a relevant consideration" of Australia's migration act. [The Age 30 Sep 2003].

In October 2003 Mr Ruddock said the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Australia has ratified, but not passed into domestic law, was "a document that's expressed in very general terms - the application of it can mean different things to different people". [SMH 13 Oct 2003] 

Quotable quotes

Quotes from refugees, from politicians and others.

Reports

Read reports into conditions in detention centres, the implications of Australia's refugee policy, the mental health effects of detention and more. Includes report of Justice P. N. Bhagwati, Regional Advisor for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Articles

Lots of links to articles, online documentaries, an alternative detention model and more. See our news section too.

Speeches

Speeches by Thomas Keneally, Sister Susan Connelly, school children at the SAD rally, Marcus Einfeld and others.

Book and video list

Reviews and links to works of fiction and non-fiction on the subject of asylum seekers, refugees and detention.

Poems

Read poems by detainees and their friends.