Latest news with #DuncanLewis
Perth Now
30-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
‘Fast enough?': Ex-spy chief's key question
The 'real issue' with Australia's defence spending is not if the Albanese government is splashing more cash but whether it is 'enough' and flowing 'fast enough', an ex-spy chief says. Duncan Lewis headed the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) from 2014 to 2019. Since departing the country's domestic spy service, he has become chair of the European Australian Business Council and the Australian arm of weapons maker Thales. Mr Lewis said on Monday there was no doubt Labor had increased the defence budget since coming to power. Ex-ASIO chief Duncan Lewis says the 'real issue' with Australia's defence spending is if Labor is spending 'enough' and 'fast enough'. Kym Smith Credit: News Corp Australia 'The government has increased defence expenditure and spending over the last couple of years, and the projections going forward continue that increase,' he told the ABC. 'The real issue is whether it is enough and whether it is fast enough.' Mr Lewis noted that the defence budget was sitting about 2 per cent of GDP or $59bn. Under Labor's spending commitments, that would increase to about 2.35 per cent of GDP by 2034 – the same year the Albanese government has warned a major conflict could break out. At roughly $100bn in the space of a decade, Mr Lewis said 2.35 per cent was 'a sizeable increase'. 'But the question is, is it enough to have the kind of defence force that we might require in the future?' he said. Anthony Albanese is facing domestic and international calls to boost the defence budget, with the US warning of a potentially 'imminent' threat from China in the Indo Pacific. But the Prime Minister has resisted, making Australia an outlier in the West – a position highlighted by NATO's decision last week to dramatically hike military spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The Trump administration has asked Australia to lift spending to 3.5 per cent. Both Labor and the opposition have pushed back on that target, with the Coalition proposing 3 per cent instead. The Albanese government is aiming to spend 2.35 per cent of GDP on defence by 2034. Jeremy Piper / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Asked point blank if 2.35 per cent of GDP was enough, Mr Lewis said he thought Australia would need to front up more. 'I'm of the view that if we are going to run a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, together with an effective defence force that's capable of doing the kind of things that we expect might be required in the future, there will have to be an increase in due course,' he said. 'But look, I'm cognisant of the fact that there are competing challenges for the public purse, and it's up to the government to get their balance right. 'But I think there is a sense of urgency in this matter, which is not universally being exhibited, and I think that needs to be something that we should pay more attention to.' Mr Lewis also said defence companies were not getting the 'certainty' needed to do business in Australia. 'There is a concern that we are unable to get into long-term, reliable partnerships with government,' he said. 'The defence industry in Australia requires long term, regular contractual arrangements if we are to develop sovereign defence capability, and that is a stated objective of the government. 'You can't have just episodic buys and expect defence companies to continue operating in Australia.'
News.com.au
30-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Ex-ASIO chief questions Australia's defence spending amid Western budget boosts
The 'real issue' with Australia's defence spending is not if the Albanese government is splashing more cash but whether it is 'enough' and flowing 'fast enough', an ex-spy chief says. Duncan Lewis headed the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) from 2014 to 2019. Since departing the country's domestic spy service, he has become chair of the European Australian Business Council and the Australian arm of weapons maker Thales. Mr Lewis said on Monday there was no doubt Labor had increased the defence budget since coming to power. 'The government has increased defence expenditure and spending over the last couple of years, and the projections going forward continue that increase,' he told the ABC. 'The real issue is whether it is enough and whether it is fast enough.' Mr Lewis noted that the defence budget was sitting about 2 per cent of GDP or $59bn. Under Labor's spending commitments, that would increase to about 2.35 per cent of GDP by 2034 – the same year the Albanese government has warned a major conflict could break out. At roughly $100bn in the space of a decade, Mr Lewis said 2.35 per cent was 'a sizeable increase'. 'But the question is, is it enough to have the kind of defence force that we might require in the future?' he said. Anthony Albanese is facing domestic and international calls to boost the defence budget, with the US warning of a potentially 'imminent' threat from China in the Indo Pacific. But the Prime Minister has resisted, making Australia an outlier in the West – a position highlighted by NATO's decision last week to dramatically hike military spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The Trump administration has asked Australia to lift spending to 3.5 per cent. Both Labor and the opposition have pushed back on that target, with the Coalition proposing 3 per cent instead. Asked point blank if 2.35 per cent of GDP was enough, Mr Lewis said he thought Australia would need to front up more. 'I'm of the view that if we are going to run a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, together with an effective defence force that's capable of doing the kind of things that we expect might be required in the future, there will have to be an increase in due course,' he said. 'But look, I'm cognisant of the fact that there are competing challenges for the public purse, and it's up to the government to get their balance right. 'But I think there is a sense of urgency in this matter, which is not universally being exhibited, and I think that needs to be something that we should pay more attention to.' Mr Lewis also said defence companies were not getting the 'certainty' needed to do business in Australia. 'There is a concern that we are unable to get into long-term, reliable partnerships with government,' he said. 'The defence industry in Australia requires long term, regular contractual arrangements if we are to develop sovereign defence capability, and that is a stated objective of the government. 'You can't have just episodic buys and expect defence companies to continue operating in Australia.'
Arab News
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Syrian refugees in UK threaten legal action over Home Office pause on settlement decisions
LONDON: Five Syrian refugees in the UK are threatening legal action against the British Home Office after their applications for permanent settlement were left in limbo after a government decision to halt all decisions on Syrian asylum and settlement cases. The Home Office paused interviews and decisions on Syrian asylum claims on Dec. 9 last year, citing the need to 'assess the current situation' in the wake of the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime. The freeze also applies to Syrians who have already been granted refugee status and are now seeking indefinite leave to remain, The Independent reported on Sunday. According to government figures cited by the newspaper, at least 7,000 people have been affected by the wider pause on asylum decisions as of the end of March. However, the number of Syrians awaiting a decision on permanent settlement is not known. The five people mounting the challenge are being represented by law firm Duncan Lewis, which has issued pre-action letters to the Home Office arguing that the pause is unjustifiable. Lawyers contend that if the government cannot assess whether Syria is safe to return to, it must uphold its obligations under UK immigration rules and international law. 'Our clients have all fled violence and persecution in Syria, and sought refuge in the United Kingdom,' said Manini Menon of Duncan Lewis, in comments published by The Independent. 'In granting them refugee status, the home secretary guaranteed our clients the protections afforded by the Refugee Convention and assured them that they would be treated fairly and in line with the immigration rules as approved by parliament. 'Those rules are clear: as long as the home secretary cannot conclude that individuals who have been recognised as refugees may safely return to Syria (and that they are therefore no longer entitled to refugee status), she must grant their applications for settlement,' Menon added. Refugees are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain five years after being granted asylum. But with the Home Office yet to provide a timeline for when decisions will resume, concerns are growing about the uncertainty faced by Syrians living in the UK. The pause follows the toppling of Assad in December by a rebel offensive led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham. Ahmad Al-Sharaa, the group's leader, is now interim president, although HTS remains a proscribed terrorist organisation under UK law. Al-Sharaa, who previously had a $10 million US bounty on his head, met with US President Donald Trump in May. 'I think he has got the potential,' Trump said after the meeting. In January, Home Office minister Lord Hanson told parliament that decisions had been paused because 'we do not yet understand what has happened in Syria on a permanent basis or know how stable Syria is as a whole.' Labour MP Dame Angela Eagle echoed the stance in February, saying: 'As soon as there is a sufficiently clear basis upon which to make determinations, asylum decision making will recommence.' A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent: 'The Home Office has paused decisions on all Syrian asylum cases whilst we continue to assess the current situation, including those for individuals who arrived under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. We are keeping this pause under constant review.'
The Independent
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Syrian refugees challenge Home Office after being left in limbo over sanctuary applications
Five Syrian refugees in the UK are seeking to challenge the Home Office over a decision to pause all settlement decisions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The Home Office put all Syrian asylum interviews and decisions on hold on 9 December last year so the department could 'assess the current situation'. They also paused applications by Syrians who have already received refugee status but are seeking to permanently settle in the UK. At least 7,000 people have been left in limbo by the pause in asylum decisions, according to the latest government figures up to the end of March. However the number of Syrian refugees waiting on an outcome to a permanent settlement decision is not clear. Now five Syrian refugees in this situation, represented by law firm Duncan Lewis, have threatened the Home Office with legal action if the decision is not reversed. In pre-action letters sent to the government, lawyers argue that the pause cannot be justified while officials say they are unable to assess the safety of the current situation in Syria. They say that if the Home Office cannot conclude whether their clients will be safe in Syria, they must act now to allow them the right to stay in the UK. In January, Home Office minister Lord Hanson told parliament that decisions were paused as 'we do not yet understand what has happened in Syria on a permanent basis or know how stable Syria is as a whole'. Dame Angela Eagle said in February that 'as soon as there is a sufficiently clear basis upon which to make determinations, asylum decision making will recommence'. The Home Office has said that there is still no stable, objective information available to make assessments on the risk of returning refugees to Syria. Refugees can apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK five years after their asylum grant. In December, former president Assad's regime was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The leader of the group Ahmad al-Sharaa is now Syria's interim president and HTS is still a proscribed terrorist group by the UK government. President al-Sharaa, who previously had a $10m US bounty on his head, met with US president Donald Trump in May, with Mr Trump remarking afterwards that 'I think he has got the potential'. Manini Menon, from Duncan Lewis, said: 'Our clients have all fled violence and persecution in Syria, and sought refuge in the United Kingdom. In granting them refugee status, the home secretary guaranteed our clients the protections afforded by the Refugee Convention, and assured them that they would be treated fairly and in line with the immigration rules as approved by parliament. 'Those rules are clear: as long as the home secretary cannot conclude that individuals who have been recognised as refugees may safely return to Syria (and that they are therefore no longer entitled to refugee status), she must grant their applications for settlement.' A Home Office spokesperson said: "The Home Office has paused decisions on all Syrian asylum cases whilst we continue to assess the current situation, including those for individuals who arrived under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. 'We are keeping this pause under constant review.'
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Afghan human rights defender granted asylum after Home Office U-turn
An Afghan woman who risked her life defending human rights in her home country has been allowed to stay in the UK after a Home Office U-turn. The Guardian previously reported on the case of Mina*, whose asylum claim was rejected by the Home Office despite her high-profile work in Afghanistan. She worked for western government-backed projects and was involved in training and mentoring women across the country, which left her in grave danger even before the Taliban took over in 2021. Home Office officials had said in their refusal letter to her: 'It is considered that you do not face a real risk of persecution or harm on your return to Afghanistan on the basis of your claimed adverse attention by the Taliban.' Mina's lawyers lodged an appeal against the refusal but before the appeal was heard the Home Office sent a new letter granting refugee status, saying: 'We accept you have a well-founded fear of persecution and therefore cannot return to your country, Afghanistan.' Mina said she was thrilled about the government's change of heart. 'I had been living in sorrow for a long time,' she said. 'But now, good news has finally come, and it has overwhelmed me with joy and happiness. The word 'freedom' immediately popped into my head – a freedom to move forward with my life in the UK, a freedom which is taken from millions of Afghan women.' Her solicitor, Jamie Bell at Duncan Lewis, said: 'I am delighted that Mina has finally been granted asylum. She is an astonishingly kind and brave women who never should have had her clear right to asylum doubted for one second. 'It is essential for the home secretary to confirm that all Afghan women are entitled to asylum to ensure that horrendous mistakes like Mina's case do not happen again.' The initial refusal of Mina's claim comes at a time that the asylum grant for Afghanistan has fallen dramatically from a rate of 98.5% in the last quarter of 2023 to 36% in the last quarter of 2024. According to freedom of information data shared with the Guardian in 2022, 77 appeals against Home Office refusals of Afghan asylum claims were lodged in the immigration court. In 2024 that number jumped to 3,293. 'The fall in the grant rate will not lead to an increase in removal action,' Bell added. 'The UK does not acknowledge the Taliban and does not have an agreement to return anyone. 'The consequence of this startling policy change is that thousands will remain in limbo for years, unable to work whilst their cases are decided by the overburdened court system.' In a separate case relating to an Afghan female human rights defender, the Home Office has agreed to fly a woman who worked to counter violence against women in the country to the UK. She has spent most of her time since the Taliban takeover of her country in hiding. The UK has now granted her a visa and arranged her flight to safety. Mia Lucy Forton, a caseworker at Duncan Lewis, said: 'For over three years, our client has lived under the constant threat of detection by the Taliban. Despite the encroachment on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, she has remained unwavering in her commitment to advocate for the rights of women in her country. Home Office has been approached for comment. * Names have been changed
