ABOUT THE STUDY
Our team at The University of Sydney is working with the Australian Human Rights Commission to conduct the first major study of how Australia’s immigration detention and deportation policies impact families. In particular, we want to understand how children are affected when a parent is deported or facing deportation.
Findings will be used to advocate for better and fairer immigration policies. And for improved supports for children and families caught up in this system.
Stage 1: Interviews
During stage 1 of the project, we are conducting interviews with families impacted by Australia’s immigration detention and deportation policies. This includes interviews with children (8+ years old) who have had a parent detained and/or deported, as well as interviews with members of their families.
We have conducted ~100 interviews for this project so far in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Interviews take around 1hr each, and can occur face-to-face or via zoom at a time that suits you.
Stage 1 of the project is almost complete. However, you can express interest in being interviewed by contacting Dr Michelle Peterie (michelle.peterie@sydney.edu.au) using the link below.
Stage 2: Online Survey
For stage 2 of the project, we are running an online survey to bring more families into the study. The survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete. All answers are anonymous, meaning nobody (including us) will know who responded.
If you are at least 16 years old and fall into one of the following groups, we invite you to complete the survey:
You have been deported from Australia;
You are facing deportation from Australia;
A member of your family has been deported from Australia; OR
A member of your family is facing deportation from Australia.
Participants can be located anywhere in the world.
For more information or to start the survey, please click on the link below.
THE RESEARCH TEAM
Dr Michelle Peterie | PROJECT LEAD | Research Fellow, Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, The University of Sydney
Anne Hollonds | National Children’s Commissioner | The Australian Human Rights Commission
Suzette Jackson (Te Ātiawa) | Research Assistant, The University of Sydney | PhD Candidate, The University of Auckland
Dr Laura Vidal | Lecturer in Social Work, The University of Canberra
Isabella Kristo | Research Assistant, The University of Sydney | PhD Candidate, The University of New South Wales
THE EXPERT ADVISORY BOARD
ACADEMIC ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
Professor Alex Broom | The University of Sydney
Professor Jay Marlowe | The University of Auckland
Professor Amy Conley Wright | The University of Sydney
Professor Elizabeth Stanley | Victoria University
THIRD-SECTOR AND EXPERT-BY-EXPERIENCE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
John Ropiha (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa)
Tony Hudson (Ngāi Te Rangi)
Shane White (Tainui) | Manager, Hoani Waititi Marae
Maree Matthews | Program Director, Higher Ground
Claudia Farry | Barrister, Shortland Chambers
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Interested to learn the outcome of this project? Join our mailing list to receive occasional project updates. We won’t spam you, and promise to keep your details confidential.
FUNDING DECLARATION
This study is funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA Fellowship. The ARC an independent body that funds research in Australia. The ARC’s purpose is to "grow knowledge and innovation for the benefit of the Australian community through funding the highest quality research, assessing the quality, engagement and impact of research, and providing advice on research matters".
Additional funding has been provided by The University of Sydney, through the Robinson Fellowship scheme.
Both grants are held by Dr Michelle Peterie.