Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mary Anne Kenny

@maryannekenny.bsky.social

570 followers 210 following 46 posts

Associate Professor Law at Murdoch University. Interests refugee law, mental health of refugees and asylum seekers, human rights.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Mary Anne Kenny @maryannekenny.bsky.social · Nov 16

👋Hello Bluesky! I work at Murdoch University School of law & Criminology. I teach and research in the area of refugee law, mental health of asylum seekers and human rights. I hope to build understanding of the impacts of laws and policies on the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

1 12 66

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Senthorun S. Raj @senthorun.bsky.social · 3d

“The current members of the Supreme Court, ten men and two women, all of them white, seem to regard the Human Rights Act as an unwelcome remnant of a past era.”

Prof Conor Gearty’s final essay in @lrb.co.uk is a painfully clear analysis of how the UK Supreme Court is depressing human rights norms.

Conor Gearty · Unwelcome Remnant: Erasing the Human Rights Act

The Supreme Court is quietly editing the Human Rights Act out of existence. In cases where human rights cannot be...

www.lrb.co.uk

4 11

Mary Anne Kenny @maryannekenny.bsky.social · 2d

‘The recent expansion of detention and deportations reflects an accelerated criminalisation and punishment of non-citizens, tied to a rising authoritarianism across purportedly liberal Western countries.’ theconversation.com/around-the-w...

Around the world, migrants are being deported at alarming rates – how did this become normalised?

The US, UK and Australia are all expanding efforts to deport non-citizens, reframing the act of seeking asylum from a human right to a criminal act.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 12d

71.5% of current ICE detainees have no criminal convictions
tracreports.org/immigration/...

1 4 7

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Phil Cole @phillcole40.bsky.social · 17d

More than 150 lawyers and refugee NGOs report being ‘pressured into silence’ by far-right protesters.
At least two groups supporting UK asylum seekers have closed their offices after credible threats to their safety
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

More than 150 lawyers and refugee NGOs report being ‘pressured into silence’ by far-right protesters

At least two groups supporting UK asylum seekers have closed their offices after credible threats to their safety

www.theguardian.com

1 27 56

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Nicholas Procter @nicholasprocter.bsky.social · 16d

Stories about cost-of-living often focus on Australians’ hip pockets. But what about the impact on our mental health? The National Mental Health Commission’s “report card” shows financial stress has taken a significant toll in recent years. theconversation.com/financial-st...

2 3

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Belfast Telegraph @belfasttelegraph.co.uk · 29d

Read Lee's account in full

Horrors of Trump detention centre: Lisburn man tells his story after arrest for 'looking like a Mexican'

A Co Antrim man lifted by US immigration police on an American street — in an incident he compared to a kidnapping — and then sent to a detention centre has described being deported back to Northern I...

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

11 200 530

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Refugee Council of Australia @refugeecouncilau.bsky.social · Sep 2

We oppose the Government's Nauru arrangement and Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill 2025, that would allow for circumventing rules of natural justice and procedural fairness when deporting people to Nauru and other 3rd countries.
www.refugeecouncil.org.au/letter-nauru...

Our letter to Parliamentarians regarding arrangement with Nauru

The Refugee Council of Australia has written to Parliamentarians to express our opposition the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Bill

www.refugeecouncil.org.au

4 4

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Lisa van Toor @lisa-vantoor.bsky.social · Sep 1

@maryannekenny.bsky.social and I have written a commentary unpacking the Australian government's new deal to send over 350 non-citizens from the NZYQ cohort to Nauru and the proposed laws to remove the requirement for procedural fairness of these decisions.

theconversation.com/by-sending-n...

By sending non-visa holders to Nauru, Australia is shifting its responsibilities

The non-citizens in the NZYQ group cannot be returned to their country of origin. But sending them to Nauru just pushes the issue onto a poorer country.

theconversation.com

1 2

Mary Anne Kenny @maryannekenny.bsky.social · Sep 1

A quick brief analysis of the ongoing arrangement to send people to Nauru, co-written with @lisa-vantoor.bsky.social theconversation.com/by-sending-n...

By sending non-visa holders to Nauru, Australia is shifting its responsibilities

The non-citizens in the NZYQ group cannot be returned to their country of origin. But sending them to Nauru just pushes the issue onto a poorer country.

theconversation.com

5 7

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Jane McAdam @profjmcadam.bsky.social · Sep 1

For decades now, public discourse about refugees and immigrants has become increasingly fractured, ugly and untrue. But just as government messaging has partly contributed to this situation, it could also help get us out of it. I explain how: theconversation.com/politicians-...

Politicians have scapegoated immigration for decades. It’s time to flip the script

Anti-immigration rallies across Australia are the culmination of years of political scaremongering. But better immigration messaging could change the trajectory.

theconversation.com

1 8 13

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

UNSW Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law @kaldorcentre.bsky.social · Sep 1

By sending non-visa holders to Nauru, Australia is shifting its responsibilities, write Kaldor Centre PhD @lisa-vantoor.bsky.social and affiliate @maryannekenny.bsky.social – an important piece to help you understand what's at stake in parliament this week
theconversation.com/by-sending-n...

By sending non-visa holders to Nauru, Australia is shifting its responsibilities

The non-citizens in the NZYQ group cannot be returned to their country of origin. But sending them to Nauru just pushes the issue onto a poorer country.

theconversation.com

3 6

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Nicholas Procter @nicholasprocter.bsky.social · Aug 1

What happens to legal professionals when they are exposed to stories of fear, despair, mental distress from people of refugee background who an endure insecure and uncertain visa status? Here @maryannekenny.bsky.social explains.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/...

A Mixed Methods Inquiry into How Legal Professionals Respond to Recurring Trauma and Mental Distress among Refugees and Asylum Seekers with Insecure Visa Status in Australia

The aim of this study was to investigate how legal professionals in Australia responded to the mental distress experienced by clients with insecure visa status in the Fast Track Assessment (FTA) proc...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

3 4

Mary Anne Kenny @maryannekenny.bsky.social · Jul 27

Well done Mel look forward to reading this!

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Jane McAdam @profjmcadam.bsky.social · Jul 23

500+ Master’s scholarships available for African refugee and displaced students at 25+ universities worldwide www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/news/rlrh-la...

RLRH launches new round of Graduate Horizons application support scheme

www.rsc.ox.ac.uk

9 5

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Senthorun S. Raj @senthorun.bsky.social · Apr 3

“After years of criticizing universities for their supposed stifling of free speech, conservatives now in power are weaponizing anti-discrimination law to quash student protests and eliminate diversity initiatives.”

We must defend our rights to speak out against racism, genocide, and inequality.

Universities are giving up the fight for free speech — students aren’t

“We don’t have the luxury of inaction.“

www.theverge.com

12 31

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Nicholas Procter @nicholasprocter.bsky.social · Jul 4

67 countries criminalise people for their sexual orientation, with punishments ranging from months behind bars to a life sentence. In some places, it's the death penalty. @maryannekenny.bsky.social www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Refugee legal service reports spike in LGBTQIA+ clients who 'fear for their life'

The Tasmanian Refugee Legal Service (TRLS) is representing a growing number of LGBTQIA+ clients seeking asylum who fear persecution in their home country.

www.abc.net.au

1 3

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Nicholas Procter @nicholasprocter.bsky.social · Jun 23

How to look after your mental health right now if you have family in the Middle East or another conflict zone theconversation.com/how-to-look-... @maryannekenny.bsky.social

theconversation.com

3 1

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Dr Jo Wilding @jowilding.bsky.social · Jun 13

Online launch of the 'No Access to Justice 2' research is Monday 23rd June 2025 from 10 – 11am

Presentation of findings and opportunity for questions and discussion.

Register at events.teams.microsoft.com/event/798092...

Report is here: justice-together.org.uk/articles/no-...

‘No Access to Justice 2’: Mapping the UK’s continuing immigration and asylum legal advice crisis – A report by Jo Wilding, June 2025 – Justice Together

justice-together.org.uk

3 2

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

John van Kooy, PhD @pantzfanon.bsky.social · Jun 11

Some research I led was published today by the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

It's about refugees in the Australian economy, based on a longitudinal survey (6 waves over 10 years) of 2,000+ refugees from places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Myanmar.

Check it out (links follow):

1 2 8

Mary Anne Kenny @maryannekenny.bsky.social · Jun 11

This is great John such research well done.

1 1

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · Jun 2

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for an independent inquiry into the mass shooting of Palestinians.

UN demands probe as Israeli forces kill more people near aid site in Gaza

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for an independent inquiry into the mass shooting of Palestinians.

bit.ly

2 80 180

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

National Indigenous Times 🤖 (unofficial) @nit-bot.bsky.social · May 25

Monday, May 26, marks the eighth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart — an important day in our shared Australian history.

Uluru — the work continues, with or without a voice

Monday, May 26, marks the eighth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart — an important day in our shared Australian history.

nit.com.au

1 2 1

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · May 23

UN chief Antonio Guterres says Palestinians in Gaza are enduring “the cruelest phase” of Israel's war.

He denounced Israel’s blockade, calling the 400 trucks cleared to enter Gaza so far “a teaspoon of aid” when “a flood of assistance is required.”

10 210 430

Reposted by Mary Anne Kenny

Asylum Seekers Centre @ascsyd.bsky.social · May 23

Australia’s policy towards refugees and people seeking asylum stands at a critical juncture and Labor has the political clout for a principled reset, writes @maryannekenny.bsky.social via @aunz.theconversation.com.

theconversation.com/labor-now-ha...

Labor now has the political clout to reset Australia’s refugee policy. Here’s where to start

Australia has the experience, resources, and civil society needed to shape a more humane and effective refugee system. Four key areas are ripe for reform.

theconversation.com

2 3