Part III Regional Regimes, Ch.24 Regional Refugee Regimes: Oceania

Subject(s):

Asylum — Internally displaced persons — NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) — Regional co-operation — Climate change — Regional organizations

This chapter discusses three of the most prominent approaches to refugee law and displacement issues in Oceania and analyses what they might reveal about the field of refugee law and the region of Oceania. The chapter looks first at the extent to which actors in the region have engaged with international refugee law. While adherence to international refugee law treaties is relatively low, it is not non-existent. The chapter then considers the approach to refugee law of the traditional regional hegemon: Australia. For decades, Australia has worked to encourage its regional neighbours to adopt policies that complement its own approach to refugee matters. Although Australia has had some success in obtaining support for its refugee policies from Pacific Island States, there have also been pockets of strong resistance. Finally, the chapter assesses some of the approaches to displacement adopted by Pacific Island States.