Australia's policy of mandatory indefinite detention of those seeking asylum and arriving without valid documents has led to terrible human rights abuses and cumulative deterioration in health for those incarcerated. We argue that there is an imperative to research and document the plight of those who have suffered at the hands of the Australian government and its agents. However, the normal tools available to those engaged in health research may further erode the rights and well being of this population, requiring a rethink of existing research ethics paradigms to approaches that foster advocacy research and drawing on the voices of those directly affected, including those bestowed with duty of care for this population.

In the latter months of 2014, following events in faraway Iraq and Syria, Australia responded forcefully at home. The manufactured fear of a terrorist attack resulted in police raids, increased counter-terrorism legislation and scare campaigns to alert the public to 'threat'. Although Islamophobia rose in Australia after 2001 it has been latent in recent years. It is on the rise again with collateral damage from government measures including verbal and physical attacks on Australian Muslims. Vitriol is also directed at asylum seekers and refugees. Media, government and community discourses converge to promote Islam as dangerous and deviant.

Many of Australia's border protection policies have focused on attempts to deter the arrival of asylum seekers by boat. These include government 'messaging' in the hope this will influence the decision-making of would-be boat arrivals. This article outlines the findings of an exploratory study on the sources of information accessed by asylum seekers, prior to and during their boat journeys to Australia, about their destination country. The findings suggest that government media and Internet strategies focused on deterring asylum seekers are adopted without full regard to how information is sourced before and during these boat journeys.

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This article explores the role of social work with asylum-seekers in the UK and Australia. It raises the questions of the contradictions for the profession in the light of increasingly repressive policies in both countries. Comparing the policies in the two countries, questions are asked about current social work engagement and the potential for an enhanced role. French Cette recherche examine le rô le du service social auprè s des demandeurs d'asile au Royaume-Uni et en Australie. Elle met en relief les contradictions auxquelles la profession est confronté e en raison de l'intensification des politiques ré pressive dans les deux pays. Aprè s avoir comparé les politiques dans les deux pays, l'auteur pose des questions sur le niveau d'engagement actuel du service social et les possibilité s d'un roô le accru. Spanish Se explora el papel que ejerce el trabajo social en la cuestión de bùsqueda de asilo en Gran Bretaña y Australia. Se examinan las contradicciones con las que se enfrenta la profesión, a la luz de medidas, cada vez má s represivas, existences en ambos paises. Comparando las políticas de los dos paises, se cuestiona el papel presente del trabajo social y la posibilidad que tenga de jugar un papel cada vez má s importante.

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Although mandatory immigration detention for “unauthorized” arrivals in Australia receives considerable attention, the use and abuse by government of technologies within sites of detention is less publicized. Control and surveillance are exercised in a number of ways. Immigration detainees have been denied adequate access to technologies that would enable them to fully communicate with family and friends and are deprived of the capacity to acquire information that can ensure their human rights are realized. At the same time that asylum seekers experience restrictions, devices are in place to control detainees through technological surveillance. Despite the prohibitions and impositions, detainees have adopted alternative means of communication in defi ance of the limits foisted upon them.