“Rules are rules”, says Scott Morrison. But the detention of Novak Djokovic has shown that the only rules Morrison cares about are the ones that suit him.
Immigration decisions are inconsistent, arbitrary and capricious – that’s the rule.
Djokovic was granted a visa to enter Australia, but then the rules changed, and his visa was canceled. Now two other tennis players have had their visas retrospectively canceled to cover-up immigration’s inconsistency.
Djokovic’s celebrity tennis status has brought much publicity to the government decisions that have placed him in detention; but there is little scrutiny of the plight of hundreds of others without celebrity status.
In that regard, Djokovic’s treatment is similar to the Medevac refugees being held in the Park hotel-prison. When the Medevac refugees were transferred to Australia from PNG and Nauru, in 2019, they were told they would be released, but after they arrived the rules changed; they were detained in hotels-prisons and detention centres.
Then, the rules changed (for some) and seven Medevac refugees were released in December 2020. Then the rules changed for another 45 in January 2021. In dribs and drabs, more than half of the 192 have now been released from closed detention, but around 60 remain in closed detention.
Which rule is keeping them detained?
The Medevac refugees were brought under the rules of Medevac legislation for medical treatment, but many have been denied any treatment at all.
“Morrison is a hypocrite. When the rules don’t suit him, he breaks them,” said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
In that regard, Djokovic’s treatment is similar to the Medevac refugees being held in the Park hotel-prison. With the big difference that Djokovic is able to go home, regardless of Monday’s court decision. For refugees home is dangerous, they can’t go home, and they can’t leave detention.
When it looked like the High Court might rule to limit the government ‘s ability to detain refugees indefinitely, the government changed the rules and pushed the Clarifying International Obligations for Removal) Act through Parliament in 2021.
“Djokovic’s detention has got nothing to with rules; it’s got everything to do with political opportunism,” said Rintoul, “It’s Morrison channeling John Howard to be the one who ‘will decide who comes to this country,’ for the same reasons. He hopes it will be electorally popular.
“But, inadvertently, the government’s detention of Djokovic in the Park hotel has put the focus squarely on the systematic abuse of refugees’ rights in Australia’s detention system.
“That is the only rule the government does enforce.”
The Refugee Action Collective in Victoria is holding a protest outside the Park Hotel prison at 2pm, today, Sunday 9 January.
For more information, contact Ian Rintoul 0417 275 713.
