Global Observatory on Short-Term Rentals, Australia’s Criminalisation of Asylum Seekers, Art for Social Change with Niki Koutouzi, Drug Checking and VIC Overdose Updates

Thursday Breakfast

Acknowledgement of Country// Headlines// Researcher and urbanist Guadalupe Granero Realini joined us to discuss the recent launch of the Global Observatory on Short-Term Rentals, an initiative led by a coalition of Latin American organisations working on housing and urban issues to track governance patterns, private sector pushes and activist action on short-term rentals and their impact on housing markets worldwide. Guadalupe works on territorial justice, and her research is currently focused on extractivist processes in Latin America which dispossess communities in cities as well as in rural and wild environments. Whenever she can, she teaches, collaborates with social organisations and participates in the media. She developed part of her research in Rio de Janeiro, as well as at Ryerson University and the University of Montreal as an ELAP fellow. In 2017 she published Territories of Inequality. Urban Policy and Spatial Justice (Territorios de la Desigualdad. Política Urbana y Justicia Espacial).// Sanmati Verma, Legal Director at Human Rights Law Centre, spoke about some recent updates in the legal landscape governing so-called Australia's carceral border regime, including in relation to the imposition of punitive visa conditions onto asylum seekers released from detention centres into the community, and the question of 'voluntary' cooperation with deportation orders. The former issue relates to the case of YBFZ v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2024], where last week the High Court determined by majority that the Albanese Government’s imposition of curfew and ankle bracelet monitoring conditions are contrary to Chapter III of the Constitution and invalid - a decision that the Minister, Tony Burke, has immediately sought to overturn by introducing new legislation into Parliament. The latter issue of cooperation with deportation orders relates to whether indefinite detention was unlawful in circumstances where a person - in this case, an asylum seeker referred to by the pseudonym ASF17 - is not cooperating with their deportation because they fear harm in their home country. You can read HRLC's explainers on the cases of YBFZ here, ASF17 here, and NZYQ from November 2023 here.// We listen back to a conversation from last month between Wednesday Breakfast’s Nita Okoko and artist Niki Koutouzi. Niki is an exhibiting artist at Incinerator Gallery’s 2024 annual award show, ‘Art for Social Change’. This award provides recognition for artists addressing critical topics shaping our social-cultural worlds today, such as first nations justice, climate crisis, disability justice, queer histories and more. This year, Niki is one of 27 shortlisted artists showing alongside highly acclaimed artist and winner of this year's award, Sam Peterson. The exhibition is open until Saturday the 24th of November.// Chris Christoforou, CEO of VAADA, the peak body for Victoria's alcohol and other drug treatment services, joined us to talk about the long awaited news of Victoria's pill testing/drug checking trial, as well as the latest 2024 overdose statistics. Victoria’s pill testing trial aims to reduce harm and save lives, and a mobile service will begin during this summer’s music festival season, attending up to 10 festivals and events throughout the trial. A fixed site, due to open in mid-2025 will be co-located at a health service and operate from inner Melbourne, close to nightlife and transport.//