On Wed June 25th the Government introduced a Bill to Parliament to “provide enhanced integrity measures in the assessment of asylum claims”
http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/sm/2014/sm215807.htm

According to that page the existing assessment process was “based on ‘real chance’ which can be as low as a ten per cent risk”.

Among other things it mentions:
“‘The Bill will also bring Australia’s assessment of non-refoulement obligations under the Convention Against Torture and Other Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in line with Canada, the United States and Switzerland by requiring a higher threshold in which someone engages those obligations.”

Further information is provided in an outline (1) to the Migration Amendment.

Page 7/16 of the UNHCR resettlement FAQ of Nov 2013 (2) shows the USA and Canada are 1st and 3rd in the world for UNHCR assisted resettlement, even though they already have the higher assessment threshold.

The ABC (3) says the change “breaches our international obligations”, GetUp (4) says “This latest attempt to sidestep our international obligations makes a complete mockery of Australia’s humanitarian commitments”.

If the amendment brings us in line with Canada, the USA and Switzerland then the Governments in those countries are also sidestepping their obligations and mocking their commitments, since they already have the higher threshold?

I wonder why that aspect has not been identified by the media or by campaigning groups like GetUp?

(1) http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22legislation%2Fems%2Fr5303_ems_6ab8fffb-a1dd-4ffa-b95a-2f5852a17590%22
(2) http://unhcr.org/524c31666.pdf
(3) http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-26/barns-asylum-plan-defies-law-and-decency/5551400
(4) https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/refugees/scott-morrison-5050-announcement/heads-or-tails-life-or-death