End the Limbo for Legacy Caseload Refugees!

Asylum seekers and refugee boat arrivals that entered Australian waters before 1 January 2014 were subject to a different set of visa processing rules that limited their ability to seek a more permanent visa status. This group of about 30,000 people is known as the Legacy Caseload.A blanket ban was applied to individuals in this group, preventing them from having a refugee protection visa application processed unless the Immigration Minister exercised personal discretion to override the ban (known as "lifting the bar"). But in December 2022, Andrew Giles declared that 19,000 permanent residencies would be granted, leaving approximately 12,000 refugees in limbo.A group of these refugees has set up a permanent tent embassy firstly outside of Clare O'Neil's electoral office, and now, outside of the office of Home Affairs in Melbourne. I spoke with three of these Temporary Protection Visa holders, Narges, Aida and Afifa.