The Temporary Refuge Initiative: A Close Look at Australia’s Attempt to Reshape International Refugee Law

Abstract

There is currently a widespread practice of states providing protection to asylum seekers on a temporary, rather than a permanent, basis. Although the practice has a long history, the international law governing it is unclear. Drawing on archival material, including Australian Government files that have not previously been studied, this article takes a close look at the first attempt to institutionalise the practice in international law: Australia’s temporary refuge initiative that began in 1979.