http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/paul-power/ Paul Power has been Chief Executive Officer of the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), the national umbrella body for 150 agencies working with refugees and asylum seekers, since 2006. Paul leads the organisation’s policy development and public education on refugee issues and its advocacy with the Australian Government, international networks and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Prior to joining RCOA, Paul worked in the NGO sector as a media officer, trainer, researcher and manager, after a 12-year career in the newspaper industry as a journalist and editor. Through his NGO work, Paul has been involved with projects in international aid, community development, mental health support, volunteer training, social research and advocacy. en Copyright 2013 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:00:10 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Its-time-to-rock-the-boat-on-offshore-processing/ Six months ago today, the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers recommended a return to offshore processing on Nauru, predicting it would act as a “circuit breaker” to stem the flow of asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat. In the first six months that followed, more asylum seekers – 10,595 – arrived by boat than in any other six month period in Australian history. Tragically, deaths at sea have continued, with more lives lost off the coast of Indonesia. Today, the core intention of the Panel’s work – to prevent loss of life at sea – remains unresolved and the need to improve protection for asylum seekers and refugees in our region and beyond still requires urgent attention. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Paul Power) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Its-time-to-rock-the-boat-on-offshore-processing/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Its-time-to-rock-the-boat-on-offshore-processing/#item10599 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:50:40 +0000 Paul Power | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-makes-people-get-on-a-leaky-boat-from-Indonesia/ The shocking loss of so many lives off the coast of Christmas Island is yet another appalling tragedy for people seeking freedom from persecution. It will cause great anxiety for people in Sri Lanka, in Australia and elsewhere who fear that relatives and friends are among those who have perished. The accident will revive sad memories of previous tragedies, particularly for families in Australia who still don’t know the fate of their loved ones. Inevitably, such a tragedy will also prompt debate about why asylum seekers would risk their lives in this way. From the comfort of their homes, many people in Australia may find it difficult to understand the level of despair that drives people to take these dangerous journeys. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Paul Power) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-makes-people-get-on-a-leaky-boat-from-Indonesia/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-makes-people-get-on-a-leaky-boat-from-Indonesia/#item8802 Fri, 22 Jun 2012 05:55:26 +0000 Paul Power | Author bios | The Punch