Inside Australia's Immigration Detention

Day 100 started normally in Villawood despite that I was supposed to be in Queensland by the order of the Federal Court.  Well, there was nothing I could do.  So I went to the Gym and learned a new way of using one of the machines from a trainer. After coming back from the Gym, I checked my emails.  There was an email sent by the Registrar but no doubt authored by a very unhappy judge!  His Honour required 'a suitably senior Immigration official' to swear an affidavit on the Minister's failure to produce me to the Court in Queensland.  Clear indication that a fun time ahead!! The judgment was by a video conference.  Surprisingly, I was allowed to bring my mobile with me.  The court must have told to the Respondent that I should be able to have my mobile with me.  I needed it just in case the immigration hands in another notice of refusal to me immediately after the judgment.  If it happens and I cannot contact anyone, I might be...

I was told this morning that the Immigration will fly me tomorrow with no wallet, no credit card, no money, no mobile, no computer, no key to the home, no nothing.   I seriously considered whether I should apply to the court for a variation of the order which the judge made on his return from holidays on Monday.  The order the judge made is that the Respondent produce the Applicant to the Court for the judgment in Brisbane.  What can I do if I get the order I am seeking, namely, the Applicant be released from detention forthwith?  I will be thrown out to the street with no money, no card, no mobile, not even the key to my home!  Contacting here and there and try to prepare for all the possibilities, my day has gone.   Then in the evening, I received an eye-popping email from the lawyers for the Respondent.  I am copying the first three paragraphs. 'We refer to the above matter and the Orders made Xday February 2018, requiring ...

Yesterday, I telephoned the Registry of the Federal Court to ask about something other than the judgment in my migration case and accidentally discovered that the Associate to my judge had sent an email to the Registry directing it to list my migration case for the judgment on Friday.  Woohoo!  I was told that I would receive a notice of listing in the afternoon.  Bravo! Guess what.  The notice did not arrive yesterday.  I don't know whose fault is that.  But my case does not seem to follow the plan in each and every step. Eventually this afternoon, actually after 5pm (!), I received a notice of listing with the orders of the court made in chambers yesterday.  His Honour is requiring the Minister to produce me to the court for the judgment.  Unusual.   Strictly saying, because I did not put the costs argument in my submissions, I should be in court for the costs argument.  But since I am not represented, there...

Yesterday was a disaster.   After I sent you my email, put my medical request form and complaint forms in and whinged to a manager who was unluckily wandering around, I went back to bed.  After a while, a guard came to get my signature.  It was another issue which I may tell you some day.  Anyway, the guard noticed that my face was swollen!  I thought that's bad.  I didn't want half of my face paralysed.  So I went to the guards' station.  One of the guards jumped up when she saw my face (which I did not think that bad...) and persuaded a nurse to see me, thank goodness.  I went to see a nurse in the Medical Centre.  At first glance, she told me that she could tell my face swollen.  She gave me Neurofene and paracetamol and put a request for a dentist in.  She said that it was not her who decided an appointment and detainees were waiting for a dentist for years.  I thought that might be the case.  ...

Even the High Court justices heard migration cases in January but my Federal Court judge is still enjoying holidays.  It is February but he is still on holidays.   The High Court listed for the judgment in a migration case next week but my case in the Federal Court has no future listings because my judge has not even started working this year yet.  You are right.  I am cranky today. By the way, the High Court case which will be delivered next Wednesday is the Falzon case.  So if you are a migration lawyer, you have to keep an eye on the High Court page (www.hcourt.gov.au) next Wednesday. The Minister seems to want the public voting to select judges.  My inclination today is the partial support for the Minister's idea.  I propose a voting to strike off the judges of the Federal courts before a voting to select the State Courts judges.  Lazy judges should be struck off!  Yes, I am cranky today.  But I am also interested in w...

I think I should send a bill to the Minister, really. This morning when I was working on the computer designated for my exclusive use in the computer room, a guard came to me with two new arrivals.  The guard asked me how they can log in to the computer.  I asked the guard whether they had a password.  The guard asked me how they can get a password.  I told the guard that she had to request it to the IT.  Then the guard said,  'Oh, I have to request it to IT?  OK.  Thank you.'   What the hell was that?!!  Why do I have to teach the guard what her job is?!!!  Not only that, the guard who is obviously new since I have never seen her before, knew my name and came to me straight away to ask the question!  I am not your supervisor, thank you.  I think this centre's management has some serious problems. The Minister's lawyers apparently have equally serious problems, too.  In their supplementary s...

My morning routine eventually came back!   Yesterday, I was told that the coffee shop would open next day to test a new barista.  But it opened yesterday by a barista with 7 years of experience outside!  Today, even an assistant started working!!  So it is now officially re-opened!!!  My morning habit of reading newspapers while sipping a coffee in an air-conditioned room came back with a pleasant chat with these really professional guys.  Actually, this guy makes really nice coffee at exactly the same standard of cafes outside!  Lucky me!!   Uh?  Oh, I failed to get a job.  Oh, what a pity.  I couldn't gain new skills.  Well, in these circumstances, unfortunately, the sum of the damages I will claim has to go up for ... ummmm ... maybe injured feelings?  Yes, injured feelings!  I am really really sorry for myself for ...  well ... the false hope of becoming a barista?  Mmmmm... Do you thi...

It's Day 60.  It's the end of the year.  I guess/hope, 35 days to the judgment.  But I am getting itchy feet.  I don't want to just wait.  Then my private media advisor (my gooooood friend who is a retired well-known journalist) succeeded in hooking one of the media producers.  Yay!  I need someone to tell the Minister that the judge said, 'Minister might revoke his decision after this hearing.'  I also want someone to tell the Attorney-General that I will file an originating application seeking mandamus against him because my petition has been sitting on someone's desk in his Department for the last four years.  Those guys should do the right jobs before wasting tax payers' money and judges' time. By the way, do you think the Immigration is reading my emails?  I am asking it because I got a poncho this morning.  It was raining when I was on the way to the Dining rooms for brekkie so I asked a guard for a poncho....

Last night, I was asked by a guard to lodge a complaint about a new multi-function photocopier placed in the guards' station.  According to the guard, the new machine is in fact not new.  All other compounds got a real new machine but only this compound got one of the old machines from the other compound.  This old machine does not have as many functions as the other new machines in other compounds so that the guards of this compound have to run to the other compounds to use their machines every time they need to do something.  So the guards here came up with a good idea.  'Ask Villawood Survivor to write a complaint form!  Then the centre management will quickly arrange a new machine.'   ... Bloody hell.   What are they thinking about?  If I can get anything by filling in a complaint form, I would write a complaint about the lack of a visa! I did not write a complaint form for the guards (of course!) but wrote one for me ...

I suspect that there are forty days before my lazy judge delivers the judgment.  I think I can wait because Villawood 2017 is nothing like Villawood 2006.   Having said so, I don't like the idea of missing out my guinea pig boy's entire childhood.  So I want to get out of here earlier if possible.  Particularly since I worked so hard to file all the documents early, I should not be required to be here to wait for the incompetent lawyers retained by the Minister.   So I asked all my friends to kick up a fuss.  It is not a right time since everyone is having a holiday.  But since my lazy judge said, at the end of the hearing, that the Minister might revoke the refusal decision after this hearing, someone should let him know. Will see how it goes.