UNSW Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law

18/06/2026

STARTTS welcomes the launch of the official social media channels for Witness To War & Violence, a dedicated national initiative providing free, confidential support for individuals and communities across Australia.

Sometimes events happening around the world can affect us more than we realise. If recent international conflicts or distressing global news are impacting your wellbeing, causing anxiety or reactivating past trauma, an accessible, specialised support pathway is available.

We invite our community to follow the new official pages to access resources, updates and community insights:

🔹 Facebook: facebook.com/witnesstowar.au
🔹 Instagram: instagram.com/witnesstowar_au
🔹 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/witnesstowar-au

For professional, confidential and culturally aware support, you can contact the national line directly.
📞 1800 845 198 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 8:00 pm AEST/AEDT)
🌐 Visit the website: https://witnesstowar.org.au/

17/06/2026

The Refugee Convention at 75: not just a milestone, but a moment to look ahead.
Guy Goodwin-Gill and Jane McAdam explore what must be done to ensure the system continues to protect those in need—now and into the future.
UNSW Law & Justice
📖

[Guy S. Goodwin-Gill is Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, Emeritus Professor of International Refugee Law, University of Oxford, and Honorary Professor, Faculty of Law & Justic…

12/06/2026

We are all Socceroos!

19/05/2026

Many of the 42.5 million refugees in the world are highly skilled and educated.

Their talents are wasted at a time when countries like Australia are facing chronic skills shortages – particularly outside the metro areas, where regional employers are desperate for staff.

For displaced professionals and tradespeople, a labour mobility pathway offers a chance to migrate based on their skills, not their refugee status. For regional employers and communities, it offers enthusiastic, long-term help.

Check out Dr Claire Higgins and Dr Louise Olliff's analysis in The Conversation Australia + NZ today about a win-win policy we should extend and improve: https://theconversation.com/we-need-more-staff-regional-employers-are-hiring-but-we-are-closing-the-door-to-skilled-migrant-workers-283063

The authors also released a policy brief this week: https://www.unsw.edu.au/news/2026/05/new-policy-brief--how-skilled-refugee-pathways-can-support-regio

It springs from ongoing multi-year Australian Research Council (ARC)-funded research led by UNSW at UNSW Law & Justice with partners Talent Beyond Boundaries and The Regional Australia Institute.

This pilot has made it easier for employers to hire skilled refugees from overseas, delivering benefits for local communities. But it is due to end on June 30.

13/05/2026

What does this year’s Federal Budget mean for refugees and people seeking asylum?
Our latest analysis, by Dr Claire Higgins, looks at continued spending on offshore processing, the unchanged humanitarian intake, and new measures on social cohesion and settlement support.
Read more here at our UNSW Law & Justice Kaldor Centre news:

The budget funds new measures targeting social cohesion and skills recognition but leaves Australia’s humanitarian intake unchanged and continues high spending on offshore processing, as advocates highlight gaps in protection and transparency.

04/05/2026

28/04/2026

In a new Development Policy Centre blog today, Thomas Mulder and Jane McAdam explain why the Pacific has a new opportunity to show global leadership on disaster displacement.

States are negotiating the first-ever global treaty on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters. It presents a significant opening for Pacific states to ensure that displacement is reflected in the treaty text.

Despite how central displacement is to the lived reality of disasters, it remains only marginally reflected in the current draft.

Read it now:
https://devpolicy.org/pacific-needs-disaster-displacement-included-in-treaty-20260428/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRdM1lleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFnM2VTNVNtV1FtYlNiTEh0c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtFyBbYLrj9M6g0XlaaIcRmibauDFvksFNwBPMnwOrgw-TQ-A9HLCKcONRtF_aem_CjYnGl_js5jZqHNDFrzfmg
UNSW Law & Justice

13/04/2026

Big congratulations to Dr Thomas Mulder on receiving the 2026 Alice Edwards Breakthrough Researcher Award from the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL)! 👏 👏 👏
His work on international disaster, humanitarian and human rights law is tackling some of the most urgent challenges of our time — ensuring that international law delivers real protection and accountability for those most at risk.
Please take a moment to congratulate Thomas and fellow award recipient, Dr Suzanne Varrall from Melbourne Law School.
Read more about Dr Mulder's impactful work with our Australian Research Council (ARC) Laureate Evacuations Research Hub here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/news/2026/04/dr-thomas-mulder-receives-major-international-law-award
Both Thomas and Suzanne will be presenting at the ANZSIL Annual Conference in Wellington, July 1-3. Early-bird registration is still open: https://anzsil.org/event-6442363

UNSW Law & Justice

A leading researcher at UNSW’s Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law has been recognised for his cutting-edge work on humanitarian crises and international law, receiving the prestigious 2026 Alice Edwards Breakthrough Researcher Award.

10/04/2026

How do we have constructive, fact-based conversations in a time of growing misinformation?

Next week, four libraries across Indigo Shire Council (Victoria) are hosting 'Stand Together: Countering Misinformation' — practical, community-focused workshops designed to build media literacy and strengthen social cohesion.

Led by Lauren Martin (Kaldor Centre), co-author of 'Countering misinformation about refugees and migrants: An evidence-based framework', these sessions will help you:
• Understand how misinformation spreads
• Critically evaluate sources with confidence
• Build a practical fact-checking toolkit
• Learn respectful ways to challenge false information — while maintaining positive relationships

📍 Where & when:
• Wednesday, 15 April — Chiltern (1pm) & Yackandandah (7pm)
• Thursday, 16 April — Rutherglen (1pm) & Beechworth (7pm)

If you’re in or near Indigo Shire, this is a great opportunity to connect locally and be part of building informed, resilient communities.
👉 Register today and join the conversation: https://www.indigoshire.vic.gov.au/Community/Community-events/Stronger-Together-A-Community-Cohesion-Program/Stand-Together-Countering-Misinformation?mc_cid=b14454a558&mc_eid=40921c3e3e

Not local or can’t attend? You can still be part of the solution! Explore the research, videos, and podcasts to better understand how we can all respond to misinformation in constructive, evidence-based ways: https://www.unsw.edu.au/kaldor-centre/our-resources/legal-and-policy-resources/countering-misinformation

Let’s work together to promote informed dialogue and stronger communities.
hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

UNSW UNSW Law & Justice The Behavioural Insights Team - The Nudge Unit

27/03/2026

'When someone goes through the process of applying for a visa, they pay their fees. They meet all the requirements of that visa ... pay for accommodation, pay for their flights.

'This sends a signal that none of that matters.'

–Kaldor Centre Director Daniel Ghezelbash of UNSW Law & Justice voices concern about the arbitrariness of the Albanese government's six-month ban on Iranian nationals entering Australia, even if they hold a visitor visa. It came into effect o Thursday (26 March).

Read (or 🎧) SBS News :
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast-episode/warnings-about-possible-unintended-consequences-of-iran-visitor-ban/15ttq10zf

The story also features Anna Boucher of the University of Sydney and Jana Favero of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC).

Iranians holding visitor visas will be banned from entering Australia for six months starting from Thursday as migration law experts warn the ban could set a precedent for conflicts in the future.