Originally published in New Matilda 19/10/2018

By Situation Theatre 18/3/2019. Updated 5/12/2019, 25/6/2020, 15/06/2021, and 23/08/22.

Let we forget.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott

Appoints Scott Morrison as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection – 18 September 2013.
Launches Operation Sovereign Borders, a military-led plan to turn back all asylum seeker boats – 18 September 2013.
Instructs public servants and detention centre staff to call asylum seekers “illegals” – 20 October 2013.
Separates a refugee mother from her newborn baby – 10 November 2013.
Hides information from the Parliament and the people about the Government’s treatment of asylum seekers – 13 November 2013.
Gifts two navy patrol boats to the Sri Lankan Government to stop asylum seekers fleeing the Sri Lankan Government – 17 November 2013.
Disbands the independent Immigration Health Advisory Group for asylum seekers – 16 December 2013.
Directs that people already found to be refugees who arrived by boat be given the lowest priority for family reunion – 8 January 2014.
Violates Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty while turning back asylum seeker boats – 17 January 2014.
Attempts to reintroduce temporary visas for asylum seekers found to be fleeing persecution preventing them ever settling in Australia and retrospectively applies them to 20,000 people. This is stopped in the Senate twice by the ALP and The Greens – 7 February 2014.
Reverses the previous government’s decision to care for refugee children who are without an adult family member (i.e. unaccompanied minors) in the community and sends them to detention centres in Nauru – 17 February 2014.
Fails to ensure the safety of asylum seekers in our care on Manus Island who were subjected to a vicious attack, which left one person dead and 77 injured – 18 February 2014.
Breaches the privacy of, and puts in danger, around 10,000 asylum seekers and their families by releasing their personal details on the Department of Immigration website – 19 February 2014.
Misleads the Australian public about what occurred on Manus Island when asylum seekers were attacked. Once the information was known to be untrue, waited five days to correct the record – 25 February 2014.
Abbott responds to review into sexual assault allegations in offshore immigration centres with “occasionally…things happen” – 20 March 2015.
Ensures a human rights enquiry into the Manus Island detention centre is shut down and human rights lawyers are denied access to the centre – 23 March 2014.
Axes free legal assistance for asylum seekers – 31 March 2014.
Announces creation of Australian Border Force which “will pick up where Operation Sovereign Borders leaves off” – 9 May 2014.
Cuts funding to the peak refugee organisation the Refugee Council of Australia – 30 May 2014.
Seeks to reintroduce Temporary Protection Visas after the High Court strikes down the Government’s attempt to limit the number of permanent visas available each year – 22 June 2014.
Revokes the residential determination of two asylum seekers from Vietnam in high school in Adelaide and removes them to a detention centre, resulting in up to 7 other children, also in school, running away for fear of the same fate – 28 June, 2014.
Refuses to confirm the existence of two boatloads of refugees reported to be on board customs vessels. The Government previously denied the vessels were in trouble and refuses to comment on whether the refugees will be landing in Australia – 30 June, 2014.
Grants the Immigration Minister power over the granting of permanent residence allowing him to personally decide the conditions of the test and his decisions will not be subject to appeal – 03 July, 2014.
Hands over 41 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to the custody of Sri Lankan authorities after screening them at sea and transferring them while still on the water – 07 July, 2014.
Detains 153 asylum seekers at sea on board a customs ship for a month, despite questions about the legality of this action – July 12, 2014.
Fails to provide adequate medical care to asylum seeker Hamid Kehazaei who died after developing an infection from a cut on his foot – 5 September 2014.
Signs a deal with Cambodia to accept Australia’s refugees for a payment of $40 million over 4 years – 26 September, 2014.
Reintroduces Temporary Protection Visas for asylum seekers found to be refugees – 4 December 2014.
Hands the Immigration Minister unchecked and unappealable powers to prevent refugees arriving by boat from seeking protection and allows him to return people to the country from which they fled – 4 December 2014.
Dismisses a damning report into the impacts of mandatory detention of children seeking asylum as partisan and politicised, and says the Human Rights Commission “should be ashamed of themselves” – 12 February 2015.
Dismisses the inquiry into the treatment of children in immigration detention as a “political stitch up” and attacks Gillian Triggs the President of the Human Rights Commission – 24 February 2014.
Tries to induce the President of the Human Rights Commission Gillian Triggs to resign before her report outlining the abuse of children in Australia’s immigration detention centres was released – 24 February 2015.
Violates the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and has found to have done so multiple times by the UN – 9 March 2015.
Fails to act on allegations of physical and sexual abuse of asylum seekers on Nauru despite knowing about it for over a year – 9 April 2015.
Cuts $140,000 from the Refugee Council of Australia – 12 May 2015.
Refuses to join the international effort to resettle refugees in crisis, stating “nope, nope, nope” – 21 May 2015.
Closes off the possibility of High Court challenges to offshore detention – 25 June 2015.
The Border Force Act, which introduces a two-year prison sentence for someone who works in the detention system and discloses any fact while working in the system, comes into effect – 1 July 2015.
Announces Operation Fortitude, a multi-agency visa crackdown on the streets of Melbourne – 27 August 2015.
Abandons Operation Fortitude after public outcry – 28 August 2015.
Wastes $55 million, including $15 million on relocating four refugees to Cambodia before the deal to resettle refugees from Nauru collapses – 30 August 2015.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Appoints Peter Dutton Minister for Immigration and Border Protection – 21 September 2015.
Scott Morrison refuses to apologise following report which rejected his claims Save the Children staff “coached” asylum seekers to self-harm on Nauru – 22 January 2016.
Papua New Guinea Supreme Court rules the detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal – 26 April 2016.
PM rejects New Zealand’s offer to take 150 refugees out of detention because it will be used by people smugglers as a “marketing opportunity” – 29 April 2016.
Peter Dutton accuses refugee advocates of encouraging suicide on Nauru – 3 May 2016.
Federal court rules Peter Dutton exposed asylum seeker who became pregnant after being raped on Nauru to serious medical and legal risks by flying her to Papua New Guinea for an abortion instead of Australia – 6 May 2016.
Investigates former detention centre psychiatrist and accesses his phone records due to his criticism of the Government’s asylum seeker policies – 24 May 2016.
Malcolm Turnbull says bringing the hundreds of refugees imprisoned on Manus and Nauru is “not an option” – 21 June 2016.
Nauru Files released by the Guardian Australia. They show 2,000 incident reports of “assaults, sexual abuse, self-harm attempts, child abuse and living conditions endured by asylum seekers held by the Australian government, painting a picture of routine dysfunction and cruelty” – 10 August 2016.
Peter Dutton dismisses Nauru files as “hype” – 11 August 2016.
Peter Dutton accuses refugees of deliberately harming themselves and inventing claims of sexual assault to get to Australia – 11 August 2016.
UN says Australia must close its “dire and untenable” offshore detention centres – 13 August 2016.
Manus Island detention centre staff say refugees are being coerced to return to their home countries – places where they risk arrest, persecution, and torture – 29 September 2016.
UNHCR says it is “profoundly concerned” about Australia’s plan for lifetime bans of asylum seekers who try to reach Australia by boat – 1 November 2016.
Malcolm Turnbull condemns teachers wearing t-shirts with messages protesting the torture of refugees as “absolutely inappropriate” – 8 December 2016.
Announces Home Affairs super-ministry including Australian Federal Police, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and the Australian Border Force, to be run by Peter Dutton – 18 July 2017.
UN claims Australia reneged on deal to settle some refugees in Australia – July 24 2017.
Transcript of Turnbull-Trump phone call released. It shows Turnbull said Australia’s hard-line approach meant not even a “Nobel prize-winning genius” would be let in if they came by boat. Trump replied “That is a good idea. We should do that too. You are worse than I am” – 4 August 2017.
Peter Dutton says lawyers doing pro bono work to defend asylum seekers are “un-Australian” – 29 August 2017.
Government admits to offering financial incentives to Rohingya refugees to return to Myanmar – 21 September 2017.
Peter Dutton disputes UN determination that Manus Island accommodation was uninhabitable and dismisses the “lies” of refugee advocates – 9 November 2017.
Government encourages refugees held on Nauru to sever ties with family members in Australia when applying for resettlement in the United States – 6 December 2017.
PM says Manus prisoners are not scared just manipulated by “activists in Australia” – 7 November 2017.
Peter Dutton says refugee claims of feeling threatened by locals on Manus Island are “complete nonsense”, despite video evidence to the contrary – 11 December 2017.
Refugee Advice and Casework Service says Scott Morrison’s direction to ASIO as Immigration Minister in 2013 to delay the security clearances of refugees entitled to permanent protection showed “utter disregard for the law” – 30 January 2018.
128 children still in detention on Nauru – 26 February 2018.
PM praises Australia’s ‘non-discriminatory’ refugee policies – 16 March 2018.
Government fights a court order to move a 10-year-old boy who had repeatedly tried to kill himself from Nauru to Australia – 21 March 2018.
Peter Dutton attacks refugees for being unemployed and taking Australian jobs at the same time – 18 May 2018.
Peter Dutton says “the hard-won success of the last few years could be undone by a single act of compassion in bringing 20 people from Manus to Australia” – 23 June 2018.
Government loses court battle to prevent two-year-old girl born in detention on Nauru, feared to be dying from encephalitis, from coming to Australia for medical treatment – 3 July 2018.
Government rejects recommendations to bring suicidal 14-year-old girl who set herself on fire to Australia from Nauru – 7 July 2018.
Government loses legal battle to prevent Iranian refugee and her 17-year-son, both of whom were acutely physically and mentally ill, from coming to Australia – 13 July 2018.
Reported that the Government’s practice has been to have its customs ships intercept asylum seeker boats and sail them for days to Ashmore Reef so they could be sent for offshore processing – 24 July 2018.
Government loses latest in a series of more than a dozen attempts to block the medical transfer of asylum seeker children – 1 August 2018.
1,534 asylum seekers and refugees still held on Nauru and Manus Island – 3 August 2018.
Government retrospectively amends asylum legislation to ensure detention of up to 1,600 asylum seekers was lawful – 16 August 2018.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison

Re-appoints Peter Dutton as Minister for Home Affairs – August 26 2018.
Deports at least 12 Sri Lankan asylum seekers exposing them to risk of torture – 11 September 2018.
United Nations working group condemns Australia’s arbitrary detention of three asylum seekers including one held without charge for nearly nine years – 15 September 2018.
Displays “I Stopped These” boat trophy in office – 19 September 2018.
Rejects plea from Australian Medical Association to bring families and children to Australia, saying he will not “put at risk any element of Australia’s border protection policy” – 20 September 2018.
Gives Australian Border Force Commissioner Roman Quadvlieg a “We Stopped These” boat trophy as a thank-you gift – 22 September 2018
Federal court judge rules Australian Government responsible for Nauru’s blocking of court-ordered medical evacuations of refugees – 25 September 2018.
It is uncovered that the Government spent $320,000 in the previous financial year challenging urgent medical transfer requests of asylum seekers and refugees on Manus Island and Nauru. This amount is predicted to be much larger in 2018 due to the increased number of requests – 29 September 2018.
Government cancels evacuations against court orders and medical advice to avoid affecting “working relationship” with Nauru – 30 September 2018.
It is revealed that the Australian Government shares responsibility for Nauru’s restrictive media access policy despite repeated statements to the contrary – 4 October 2018.
Describes the decision to force MSF workers to leave Nauru amidst a mental health crisis as a matter for Nauru. Peter Dutton incorrectly states MSF were not contracted to care for the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers . This follows a statement in which he said he would bring refugees from Nauru to Australia “in a heartbeat” if he could – 10 October 2018.
UNHCR demands closure of offshore detention centres amidst “health crisis” – 13 October 2018.
Rejects calls from 6,000 doctors for the immediate evacuation of refugee and asylum seeker children and families on Nauru – 15 October 2018.
UN rules Australia has breached several international human rights laws and takes “extraordinary step” of calling for a review of Australia’s domestic laws – 16 October 2018.
Dismisses Opposition attempts to get children and families off Nauru as “horse-trading” - 23 October 2018.
Challenges federal court’s authority to order urgent medical transfers from Nauru - 26 October 2018.
Tony Abbott says Nauru ‘pleasant’ and has better healthcare than Australian towns - 29 October 2018.
Rejects resettling refugees in New Zealand because Peter Dutton argues it would restart the boats - 1 November 2018.
Defence industry Minister Steve Ciobo says sending refugees to New Zealand would be a “giant magnet” to people smugglers - 4 November 2018.
Separates parents from their children and wives from husbands during medical transfer process - 10 November 2018.
Tries to get legislation through the Senate which would limit the right of asylum seekers to appeal as part of the refugee application process - 13 November 2018.
Refuses to sign UN migration pact which states migration detention should only be used as a last resort - 21 November 2018.
Amnesty International cites cuts to health and counselling services on Manus Island as reasons for increased risk of suicide and self-harm - 22 November 2018.
Undermines ability of refugees to get the medical attention they need by filibustering the medical evacuation bill - 6 December 2018.
Government faces two class actions for subjecting refugees to torture, crimes against humanity and intentional infliction of harm - 10 December 2018.
Peter Dutton says if Nauru becomes a “transit lounge” to Australia, thousands of asylum seekers would attempt a maritime journey - 12 December 2018
Emerges that Australian authorities alerted Thailand that refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi, scheduled to land in Bangkok, had a red notice against him - 13 December 2018.
PM vows to ignore the “stupid bill” to expedite medical evacuations from Nauru and Manus island. He says this about the prospective evacuees: “They may be a paedophile, they may be a murderer, and this bill would mean that we would just have to take them - 6 February 2018.
Revealed that the government had ignored refugee transfer advice from its own doctors for up to five years - 7 February 2018.
Morrison says he will reopen Christmas Island detention centre and reinforce border defences in response to the passing of the medical evacuation bill. He says he will strengthen Operation Sovereign Borders “across a number of fronts” due to “this process to weaken and compromise our borders” - 13 February 2018.
Attorney General Christian Porter argues the new legislation means the home affairs minister lacks the power to stop transferees who are “investigated for, charged with, or on trial for, or even awaiting sentence, for a serious criminal offence” - 13 February 2018.
Announces that sick refugees will be sent to Christmas Island rather than the mainland - 19 February 2019.
Former race discrimination commissioner warns of “blatant appeals to racism and division” at the upcoming election, with the government" “already campaigning on fear, seeking to incite hysteria about asylum seekers and border security”. He adds “racism is finding a happy home both within sections of our parliament and government and within sections of our media” - 21 February 2019.
Inquest hears that Iranian refugee Omid Masoumali would have a 95% chance of survival were he treated in Australia rather than on Nauru - 27 February 2019.
Peter Dutton says refugees from Nauru and Manus will displace Australians from hospital beds - 28 February 2019.
Morrison describes Dutton’s claim as “simple math” - 1st March 2019.
A 25-year old Iraqi national commits suicide at Villawood Detention Centre - 5 March 2019.
PM flies to empty Christmas Island detention centre to send a message to people likely to “game the system to come to Australia to use these loopholes - 6 March 2019.
Peter Dutton warns that refugees brought to Australia for medical treatment would soon become citizens, and “that is not an outcome that most Australians would support” - 7 March 2019.
Immigration minister David Coleman approves visa of far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos - 9 March 2019.
Scott Morrison says that anti-Muslim immigration sentiments “have no place in Australia, let alone the Australian Parliament” in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attacks. He also tweets “there is absolutely no place in either of our countries for the hatred and intolerance that has bred this extremist, terrorist violence and we condemn it” - 15 March 2019.
PM tweets “we will not tolerate the right-wing extremist ideology that has fuelled this attack” and claims “we will always defend our Muslim community here in Australia and defend their right to practice their religion without fear. I am also completely disgusted by, and completely denounce, comments that seek to denigrate Muslims and Islam and will always speak out against this” - 16 March 2019.
Inquiry into Paladin expanded to cover all Nauru and Manus contracts - 1 April 2019
Only one person has been transferred under medevac law, refugee advocates say - 2 April 2019
Coalition uses budget to announce it will close Christmas Island centre - after spending $185m - 2 April 2019
Family face deportation from Australia because deaf son deemed taxpayer ‘burden’ - 4 April 2019
Christmas Island: more than 150 staff are guarding zero detainees, senators told - 4 April 2019
Scott Morrison defends spending $185m reopening Christmas Island centre - 7 April 2019
Cuts to asylum seeker welfare create surge in demand for food and housing - 23 April 2019
Nauru denies former president’s claim offshore detention deal led to corruption - 25 April 2019
Partner of refugee who set himself on fire on Nauru sues Australian government - 28 April 2019
Nauru contract standoff causes chaos and confusion as refugee services left in limbo - 30 April 2019
Australia accused of failing to give medical care to two-year-old Tamil girl - 3 May 2019
Medevac repeal law a priority, Coalition says, as self-harm rises among refugees - 22 May 2019
Australia returns 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers after boat intercepted - 30 May 2019
‘Sinister state of secrecy’: Christmas Island kept in dark on Sri Lankan asylum seekers - 31 May 2019
UN condemns Australia for detaining blind Tamil refugee for nine years - 6 June 2019
Sri Lankan refugee in “hellish” conditions on Manus Island appeals to settle in UK - 12 June 2019
Australia’s onshore immigration detention ‘unlike any other liberal democracy’ - 18 June 2019
Detention centre denies two-year-old Tamil girl a birthday cake - 18 June 2019
Federal court overturns attempt to block medevac transfer from Nauru - 19 June 2019
Peter Dutton says women using rape and abortion claims as ploy to get to Australia - 20 June 2019
Manus Island: man sets himself on fire after being ‘denied medical treatment’ - 21 June 2019
Peter Dutton condemned for ‘vile and offensive’ Nauru rape claims - 21 June 2019
Peter Dutton claims asylum seekers refusing resettlement in US due to medevac laws - 23 June 2019
Manus Island asylum seeker who set himself on fire to be charged with attempted suicide - 25 June 2019
Former Manus Island detainee tells UN ‘human beings are being destroyed’ - 27 June 2019
Donald Trump says “much can be learned’ from Australia’s hardline asylum seeker policies - 27 June 2019
Coalition accused of ‘cruelty for cruelty’s sake’ over medevac refugees - 1 July 2019
Judge accuses Australia of putting relationship with Nauru before the law - 6 July 2019
Afghan man dies at Melbourne detention centre - 13 July 2019
Mental health conditions behind most Nauru and Manus refugee medical admissions - 23 July 2019
Young Afghan man tries to set himself on fire at Melbourne detention centre - 25 July 2019
Tamil asylum seeker family ‘terrified’ for children after move to Christmas Island - 1 September 2019
Scott Morrison refuses to intervene for Tamil family facing deportation to Sri Lanka - 2 September 2019
Home affairs data “gives lie” to Coalition’s refusal to let Biloela Tamil family stay - 7 September 2019
Peter Dutton says Biloela Tamil children are ‘anchor babies’ used to help case - 12 September 2019
Paladin forced to pay back $5.7m for failures oin offshore detention services - 18 September 2019
Peter Dutton appeals federal court ruling over medical transfer of refugees - 27 September 2019
Former teacher sues Nauru detention centre operator for ‘devastating’ black mould illness - 1 October 2019
Dutton uses medevac law to refuse transfer despite claiming it could not be done - 16 October 2019
Mentally ill asylum seeker sent away from promised treatment on 5,400km round trip - 17 October 2019
Peter Dutton tells Lambie that war veterans want medevac laws scrapped - 17 October 2019
Afghan man dies in Brisbane two years after medical transfer from Manus Island - 17 October 2019
Taxpayers’ $20m spent to sustain ‘patently political’ Christmas Island move - ex-chief - 28 October 2019
Offshore detention costs taxpayers up to $573,000 each person a year, report finds - 3 December 2019
Medevac repeal bill passes after Jacqui Lambie makes ‘secret deal’ with Coalition - 4 December 2019
Cormann and Dutton downplay chances of Australia accepting New Zealand refugee deal - 8 December 2019
Home affairs created fake horoscopes to discourage Sri Lankans from seeking asylum in Australia - 18 December 2019
Leaked photos of Papua New Guinea prison reveal ‘torture’ of 18 asylum seekers cut off from world - 15 January 2020
Inside Christmas Island: the Australian detention centre with four asylum seekers and a $26m price tag - 26 January 2020
Home affairs department racked up $6.1m bill transferring refugees and asylum seekers - 29 January 2020
Coronavirus ‘shock’: Biloela family knew nothing of Christmas Island evacuation plan - 30 January 2020
Biloela family wait in Christmas Island limbo as Wuhan evacuees see out quarantine - 9 February 2020
Australia’s offshore detention is unlawful, says international criminal court prosecutor - 15 February 2020
Biloela family may spend months more on Christmas Island waiting on court decision - 25 February 2020
Home affairs fought for three years to stop Serco detention centre manual from being released - 6 March 2020
‘We are sitting ducks for Covid19’: asylum seekers write to PM after detainee tested in immigration detention - 24 March 2020
Border Force blames NSW Heath for letting Ruby Princess dock without coronavirus checks - 25 March 2020
‘Left with nothing’: Australia’s migrant workforce face destitution without coronavirus safety net - 1 April 2020
Home affairs data breach may have exposed personal details of 700,000 migrants - 3 May 2020
Stranded without support, international students across Australia rely on free food to survive - 15 May 2020
Auditor general criticises home affairs over $745m Manus Island contracts - 28 May 2020
Australian government put Manus staff at risk of harm in lead-up to deadly riots, court told - 1 June 2020
Australian government and G4S settle lawsuit by staffer in Manus Island riots - 2 June 2020
Judge says Peter Dutton could be found in contempt if he defies orders in immigration case - 17 June 2020
Dutton’s bid to ban mobile phones in immigration detention centres could be unconstitutional - 25 June 2020

* Full credit to Sally McManus for this section thanks to her work on Tracking Abbott’s Wreckage

**Much of this list is thanks to The Guardian’s consistently high quality coverage of Australia’s immigration and asylum policy.

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