Changes to Refugee Act may increase backlogs - Lawyers for Human Rights (EWN)

Lawyers for Human Rights on Tuesday told Parliament changes to the Refugee Act could increase backlogs. The organisation joined rights groups and NGOs at public hearings on the Refugee Amendment Bill.

The proposed legislation aims to establish a Refugee Status Determination Committee to oversee asylum applications instead of leaving the process to one official. Lawyers for Human Rights said the current quality of decisions on asylum applications is extremely poor.

It said it was not opposed to changing the system but added that there are serious gaps in the proposed amendments to the Refugee Act.The organisation is concerned that if a decision was left to a committee instead of just one official, it may slow down the process and add to the backlog.

It said it also wanted more details on how the committee would be constituted.