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A last resort? - Summary Guide: Glossary and abbreviations

A Last Resort? - SUMMARY GUIDE. A Summary of the important issues, findings and recommendations of the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention

A last resort?

National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention

Glossary and abbreviations

ACM

Australasian Correctional Management Pty Limited

During the period of the Inquiry, immigration detention facilities

in Australia were managed for the Department by Australasian Correctional

Management, although the Department maintains an official presence at

each immigration detention facility.

Asylum seeker

An asylum seeker is someone who has fled their own country

and applies to the government of another country for protection as a refugee.

People experiencing persecution have a recognised human right to seek

asylum in other countries.

Child

A child is defined by the Convention on the Rights of the

Child as anyone aged under 18 years

Convention/CRC

Convention on the Rights of the Child

The Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out specific

rights for children, such as the right to health and education and protection

from abuse and exploitation. The Convention requires that the 'best interests'

of the child must be a primary consideration in any decision that concerns

him or her. It also requires detention to be 'a measure of last resort'

and for the 'shortest appropriate period of time'.

Department

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous

Affairs

This is the Commonwealth agency responsible for implementing

Australia's immigration laws and policies.

Minister

The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous

Affairs

Refugee

A refugee, as defined by the Convention relating to the Status

of Refugees, is someone who is outside their own country and cannot return

due to a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion,

nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

Temporary Protection Visa

A Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) is a three year visa granted

to some refugees in Australia. After three years, the person has to apply

again to stay in Australia on the basis that they are still a refugee

and that it would not be safe for them to return to their country of origin.

Unaccompanied Minor/UAM

An unaccompanied minor is a child who arrives in Australia

without his or her parents or a close relative over 21 years of age.