Refugee law has rarely been as important and as relevant as it is today. Indeed, according to the UNHCR, the world is currently witnessing the highest number of displaced persons than ever before. In light of this, on 4 October 2016 the French Australian Lawyers’ Society (FALS) held a seminar, co-organised and sponsored by Deakin University, on the topic of “Australian and European Refugee Laws – A year in review”.

Presenting at the seminar were Julian Burnisde AO QC, an Australian barrister as well as a human rights and refugee advocate and author, and Dr Maria O Sullivan, a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Monash University and an Associate in the Castan Center for Human Rights Law.

Julian Burnside and Dr Maria O Sullivan spoke eloquently on the various issues, responses and laws surrounding immigration in Europe and Australia. They highlighted specifically the Dublin Regulation which determines the EU member state responsible for the processing of an asylum claim was cited, as well as the recent agreement between the EU and Turkey regarding the resettlement of refugees in Europe.

Food for thought indeed…