Bianca Hall

Asylum seekers hit a high

Bianca Hall A record 10,000 asylum seekers were held in detention centres and in the community in November, new figures released by the Immigration Department reveal.

Detainees at record level

Bianca Hall A record 10,000 asylum seekers were held in centres and the Australian community in November.

Manus Island children draw on desolation of detention

Bianca Hall In her childish self-portrait, the 12-year-old girl's cheeks are streaked with tears as she stands forlornly beside a purple, boarded-up school.

Coalition refugee plan in legal doubt

Bianca Hall and David Wroe The United Nations and international law experts say a Coalition plan to block every Sri Lankan asylum seeker boat from reaching Australian waters, without first testing refugee claims, may breach...

Navy would have role in turning asylum boats around: Morrison

Bianca Hall The Australian Navy would be charged with repelling Sri Lankan asylum seeker boats outside Australia's international borders under a Coalition government.

Gambling interests, miners big donors to political parties

Stephanie Peatling, Bianca Hall, Daniel Hurst Mining and gambling interests were heavy contributors to political parties last financial year, at a time when the government was considering dropping poker machine reforms and fighting off a...

Pokies pay out to parties

Stephanie Peatling and Bianca Hall Mining and gambling interests contributed heavily to political parties last financial year, at a time when the government was considering dropping its poker machine reforms and fighting off an attack...

Cash flow to political parties drops by half

Stephanie Peatling, Bianca Hall and Daniel Hurst Donations and other payments to political parties fell by nearly half in the last financial year leaving each of the parties with substantial debts as they prepare for the upcoming campaign.

Asylum plans set 'bad' precedent

Bianca Hall Australia is setting a worrying international precedent that - if followed - would undermine the international protection system for asylum seekers, the UNHCR said on Thursday.

Boat arrivals a key issue

Bianca Hall On the day Julia Gillard announced the election date, the opposition's immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, was discussing asylum policies in Sri Lanka.

Divisive asylum debate will return for election year

Bianca Hall ON THE day the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, announced the election date, the opposition's immigration spokesman, Scott Morrison, was discussing asylum policies in Sri Lanka, while the Greens'...

Asylum seekers 'aware' of deterrence value

Bianca Hall Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has condemned the conditions for asylum seekers on Manus Island as the ''worst'' that she has seen.

Push for referendum on local government

Bianca Hall Australians should vote in a referendum on the recognition of local government at the same time as the federal election, a parliamentary committee recommended today.