Australia’s handling of the asylum-seekers on board the Oceanic Viking has sparked vigorous and ongoing debate. In her inaugural lecture as the Freilich Foundation professor, Penelope Mathew will take a look at Australia’s past and present policies against the backdrop of global refugee movements. She will assess these policies for compliance with accepted international human rights standards, and evaluate their utility in dealing with the problem of forced migration. She will suggest ways of changing the national conversation about the issue. Active audience participation in a new national conversation will be encouraged during and after her presentation. 

 Penelope Mathew has taught at the law schools of the University of Melbourne, The Australian National University and The University of Michigan (USA). She has published widely in the areas of international law, human rights and refugee law. Her main area of expertise is refugee law and she has worked with and for refugees in many capacities