Tampering With The Asylum: A Universal Humanitarian Problem

By denying docking permission to the "Tampa" with its cargo of asylum seekers, Australia signalled that it was dramatically closing its national borders. Frank Brennan argues that the Australian government's response is a massive overreaction and shows that Australia has set up a virtual offshore border, denying asylum seekers any access to legal protection.

Brennan compares Australia's response with that of the United States and Europe and provides a practical blueprint for countries wanting to humanely protect asylum seekers.