Inside Australia's Immigration Detention

Rainy day.  I have a garbage bag to wear so that I am not going to get  wet.  But I was given a raincoat in 2006 so my situation is worse than  2006. I put a request form in today stating: 'I need a court attire for my  Federal Court case against the Minister for Immigration on 21  December.  Dark suits and dark shoes are preferred.  However, any  business style is acceptable.'  I saw some detainee men walking in  suits from time to time so there must be something for court for men.   Then why don't they have something for women? My Japanese friend here went to the local court today as a witness for  the police.  She came back and asked me what happened in her court  case.  How could I know?  I didn't attend the court. According to her, she went to the court and waited in front of the  court room with another witness and a police officer.  The defendant  did not turn up as usua...

I was searching a few legal databases this morning and accidentally  found the article entitled: 'Truth, Justice and the Australian Way: Plaintiff S157 of 2002 v  Commonwealth'. My immediate thought,,, 'My piggies!!!'.   I remembered a remark by a  B&B owner where I often stayed.  When she learned my guinea  pig's name, Justice, she said, 'Appropriate name.'  I thought Justice  was a pretty name but may not sound so pretty for native English speakers. Anyway, what was I searching in the database?  Two pieces of  legislation. One, the amendment to the defective Migration Regulation  1994 newly allowing a student who won in the tribunal to apply for  another student visa even after the original student visa expired  while the lazy tribunal was mucking about without making the decision.   Two, the amendment to the faulty Migration Act 1958 to eventually  abolish the detention costs debts.  T...

Two days ago, the docket judge asked the Minister's lawyers for my  whereabouts. The Minister's solicitors did not respond yesterday.  It  was weird.  No litigator wants to make a judge wait.  Today, they kept  silent.  I was getting worried.  Something was wrong.  And then in the  late afternoon, they broke the silence.  They wrote that they were  seeking instructions from the Department of Immigration and hoped to  be able to respond to the queries on Monday.  Hello?  Doesn't the  Department know where I am?!  Of course, they know.  Why can't they answer the judge's query immediately?  Are they scheming  something?  Am I safe?  Everything looks suspicious now... There is a Japanese woman in Villawood.  She is a few years  older than me.  We often have a chat.  Today, she, too, told me that the  Department looked suspicious.  She is an inter...