Ms Madeline Gleeson
BInSt (UNSW)
LLB (Hons) (UNSW)
Master of International Law (IHEID)
Madeline Gleeson is a lawyer and Senior Research Associate at the Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW Sydney, where she directs the Offshore Processing and Regional Protection projects.
Madeline specialises in international human rights and refugee law, with a focus on the law of State responsibility, extraterritorial human rights obligations, offshore processing on Nauru and Manus Island, and refugee protection in the Asia-Pacific region.
She has extensive experience working with forcibly displaced people around the world. She has conducted research on asylum seekers and refugees, statelessness, human trafficking, labour migration and land grabbing with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Cambodia, and worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) in Geneva, Switzerland. She also has human rights experience in South Africa and Indonesia, and previously practiced as a solicitor in Australia.
Madeline holds a Master in International Law from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland; a Bachelor of Laws (with First Class Honours) and Bachelor of International Studies from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia; and a Diploma in Political Studies (Certificat d’Etudes Politiques) from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques d’Aix-en-Provence, France. She is admitted as a practitioner of the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
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Gleeson M, 2016, Offshore Behind the wire on Manus and Nauru, NewSouth
Gleeson M, 2012, State of Migration An Overview of Forced Displacement in Cambodia, Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia
Gleeson M, 2019, 'Monitoring places of immigration detention in Australia under OPCAT', Australian Journal of Human Rights, vol. 25, pp. 150 - 169, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1323238x.2019.1588059
Gleeson M, 2019, 'Protection Deficit: The Failure of Australia's Offshore Processing Arrangements to Guarantee 'Protection Elsewhere' in the Pacific', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REFUGEE LAW, vol. 31, pp. 415 - 463, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijrl/eez030
Gleeson M, 2017, 'Unprecedented but Unfulfilled: Refugee Protection and Regional Responses to the Andaman Sea ‘Crisis’', Antropologi Indonesia, vol. 38, http://dx.doi.org/10.7454/ai.v38i1.8747
Gleeson M, 2012, 'Under development: property law, human rights and development in Cambodia', Property Law Review, vol. 2, pp. 114 - 114
Gleeson M, 2021, Australia's obligations to asylum seeker children sent to Nauru, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/files/Research%20Brief_children_Nauru_2021.pdf
Australian OPCAT Network ; Gleeson M, 2020, The Implementation of OPCAT in Australia, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Implementation_of_OPCAT_in_Australia.pdf
Gleeson M, 2018, The Australia-Cambodia Refugee Deal, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Research%20Brief_Cambodia_Aug2018.pdf
Gleeson M, 2018, Australia's Responsibility for Offshore Processing on Nauru and Manus Island, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Research%20brief_responsibility_Aug2018.pdf
Gleeson M, 2018, Refugee Status Determination on Manus Island, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Research%20Brief_ManusRSD_Aug2018.pdf
Gleeson M, 2018, Refugee Status Determination in Nauru, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Research%20Brief_NauruRSD_Aug2018.pdf
Gleeson M, 2018, European Responses to Forced Migration: 2015 – June 2018, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/ResearchBrief_EuropeanApproachesToForcedMigration_Final.pdf
Gleeson M, 2016, Where To From Here?: Report from the Expert Roundtable on regional cooperation and refugee protection in the Asia-Pacific, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Where_to_from_here.pdf
Gleeson M, 2021, How should Australia respond to asylum seekers arriving by sea during the COVID-19 pandemic?, http://ilareporter.org.au/2021/02/how-should-australia-respond-to-asylum-seekers-arriving-by-sea-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-madeline-gleeson/
Goodwin-Gill G; McAdam J; Gleeson M, 2021, Supplementary submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020
Gleeson M, 2020, Evidence to UK House of Commons Home Affairs Committee inquiry into Channel crossings, migration and asylum-seeking routes through the EU
Gleeson M, 2020, Submission on mental health implications of offshore processing to the UK House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Inquiry into Channel crossings, migration and asylum-seeking routes through the EU
Gleeson M, 2020, Submission on costs of offshore processing to the UK House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Inquiry into Channel crossings, migration and asylum-seeking routes through the EU
Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand)
Gleeson M, 2020, More boats and a pandemic bring urgency to unanswered questions of the Andaman Sea crisis, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/publication/andaman-sea-crisis-5-years
Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand)
Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand)
Gleeson M; Pillai S, 2019, A legal blackhole?
Gleeson M, 2019, Five Questions: On six years of Australia’s offshore processing policy, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/news/five-questions-six-years-australia%E2%80%99s-offshore-processing-policy
Gleeson M, 2019, Evidence to Senate inquiry on Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill 2019 [Provisions], Canberra
Gleeson M, 2019, Evidence to Senate inquiry on Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 [Provisions], Canberra
Gleeson M, 2019, Supplementary submission No 53.1 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 [Provisions]
Gleeson M; Goodwin-Gill G; Pillai S; Ogg K, 2019, Submission No 53 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 [Provisions]
Gleeson M; McAdam J; Goodwin-Gill G; Foster M; Saul B, 2019, Submission No 7 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill 2019 [Provisions]
Gleeson M, 2019, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand), Oxford University Press
Gleeson M, 2017, Transfer Tracker, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/publication/transfer-tracker
Gleeson M, 2017, Australia’s use of offshore immigration detention
Gleeson M, 2017, Australia's role in the refugee compact, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australias-role-refugee-compact
McAdam J; Saul B; Foster M; Gleeson M, 2016, Submission No 1 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill 2016 [Provisions], https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Migration%20Legislation%20Amendment%20(Regional%20Processing%20Cohort)%20Bill%202016%20Provisions_Submission_Final%20SENT.pdf
Gleeson M, 2016, Case note: Plaintiff S99/2016 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCA 483, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Casenote_S99.pdf
Gleeson M, 2016, Case note: Plaintiff M68/2015 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection & Ors [2016] HCA 1, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Casenote_M68.pdf
Gleeson M, 2016, Manus Island: behind the wire, http://insidestory.org.au/manus-island-behind-the-wire
Gleeson M, 2016, Single refugee women knew they were easy prey
Gleeson M, 2016, Offshore processing: failing those we should protect
Gleeson M, 2016, The Australia-Cambodia Refugee Relocation Agreement Is Unique, But Does Little to Improve Protection, Migration Policy Institute, http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/australia-cambodia-refugee-relocation-agreement-unique-does-little-improve-protection
Gleeson M, 2016, Six months later: a reflection on what has changed since the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea ordered an end to detention on Manus Island, http://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/six-months-later-a-reflection-on-what-has-changed-since-the-supreme-court-of-papua-new-guinea-ordered-an-end-to-detention-on-manus-island/
Gleeson M, 2015, Submission No 60 to the Senate Select Committee on the Recent Allegations relating to Conditions and Circumstances at the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Select%20Committee%20-%20Kaldor%20Centre%20submission%20-%2030.04.15%20-%20FINAL.pdf
McAdam J; Foster M; Gleeson M, 2015, Submission No 4 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection and Other Measures) Bill 2015, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Submission04%20Legal%20and%20Constitutional%20Affairs%20Migration%20Amend%20Complementary%20Bill.pdf
McAdam J; Foster M; Chia J; Gleeson M; Purcell K; Wadley D, 2014, Submission No 15 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/Final%20legacy%20caseload%20sub%2031%2010%2014%20SENT.pdf
Conference Papers
Gleeson M, 2018, 'Offshore processing of asylum seekers and the Australia-USA resettlement deal', Sydney University, presented at Sydney Centre for International Law 2017 Year in Review Conference, Sydney University, 23 February 2018
Gleeson M, 2017, 'No place for a child', UNSW Sydney, presented at Australian Human Rights Centre's Workshop on Children’s Rights, UNSW Sydney, 02 February 2017
Gleeson M, 2017, 'Accountability and human rights protection at the international level', Sydney, presented at Law Council of Australia 2017 Immigration Law Conference, Sydney, 25 February 2017
Gleeson M, 2017, 'Shared state responsibility and refugee protection in the Asia-Pacific', Seoul, presented at Asian Society of International Law 6th Biennial Conference, Seoul, 25 August 2017
Gleeson M, 2016, 'Judging responsibility: the implications of Plaintiff M68 for international law and the future of offshore processing', Australian National University, Canberra, presented at 24th Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law Conference, Australian National University, Canberra, 01 July 2016
Gleeson M, 2016, 'International refugee law and offshore processing of asylum seekers', UNSW Sydney, presented at Kirby Seminar on Health Needs of Refugees and Migrants, UNSW Sydney, 09 December 2016
Gleeson M, 2016, 'From transit country to regional leader: Indonesia’s role in the search for a regional cooperation framework on displacement', Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, presented at 6th International Symposium of Journal Antropologi Indonesia – Post-Reformasi Indonesia: The challenges of social inequalities and inclusion, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, 26 July 2016
Gleeson M, 2015, 'International refugee law in 2014', Sydney University, presented at Sydney Centre for International Law 2014 Year in Review Conference, Sydney University, 06 February 2015
Gleeson M, 2015, 'Australia’s offshore processing regime: responsibility and rights', UNSW Sydney, presented at Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law - Annual Conference 2015, UNSW Sydney, 20 November 2015
Conference Presentations
Gleeson M, 2020, 'Chair's remarks, 'International protection'', presented at Emerging Scholars Network Workshop 2020, 12 November 2020
Gleeson M, 2020, 'Chair's remarks, 'Asia-Pacific'', presented at Emerging Scholars Network Workshop 2020, 11 November 2020
Gleeson M, 2020, 'Chair’s remarks, ‘Protection 360: Surveying protection challenges across the regions’', presented at Kaldor Centre Annual Conference 2020, 18 November 2020
Creative Written Works
Gleeson M, 2020, World in motion, Inside Story, https://insidestory.org.au/world-in-motion/
Gleeson M, 2017, IMAs and UMAs and SAMs: A powerful anthology about asylum seekers, Australian Book Review, https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/current-issue/may/4053-madeline-gleeson-reviews-they-cannot-take-the-sky-stories-from-detention-edited-by-michael-green-et-al
Gleeson M, 2016, Searching for Truth in all the Hidden Places, Sydney PEN Magazine, https://www.pen.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/PEN_November2016-FINAL-Web-1.pdf
Curatorial Outputs
Gleeson M, 2020, The Andaman Sea crisis: 5 years on, exhibited at: , 29 June 2020 - 18 December 2020, https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/andaman-sea-crisis-5-years
Awards, prizes and nominations
- Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction (2017)
- Longlisted, Stella Prize (2016)
- UNSW Law Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (2016)
- Longlisted, Walkley Book Award (2016)
- Shortlisted, Queensland Literary Awards (The University of Queensland Non-fiction Book Award) (2016)
- UNSW Faculty of Law Dean’s List of Excellence in Immigration Law and Practice (2009)
- Shortlisted for the 2017 Australian Book Industry Awards (Small publishers’ adult book of the year)
- Shortlisted, 2017 NSW Premier’s Award, Multicultural NSW Award
- Shortlisted, Colin Roderick Award 2017
Scholarships
General Sir John Monash Scholarship for Postgraduate Study (2012 – 2014)
International refugee law, international human rights law, offshore processing in Nauru and Papua New Guinea, State responsibility, extraterritorial human rights obligations, refugee protection in the Asia-Pacific region, Cambodia.
McAdam J; Gleeson M, 2020, Australia's offshore asylum centres have been a cruel disaster. They must not be replicated by the UK, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/02/australias-offshore-asylum-centres-have-been-a-cruel-disaster-they-must-not-be-replicated-by-the-uk
Green M; Gleeson M, 2020, What happened to the asylum seekers medically evacuated to Australia?, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2020/dec/11/what-happened-to-the-asylum-seekers-medically-evacuated-to-australia
Gleeson M, 2020, Offshore processing didn't work and Australia's mistakes shouldn't be repeated elsewhere, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/dec/11/offshore-processing-didnt-work-and-australias-mistakes-shouldnt-be-repeated-elsewhere
Gleeson M, 2019, Behrouz Boochani: Still in limbo, Lowy Institute, https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/behrouz-boochani-still-limbo
Gleeson M, 2017, Regional Cooperation on Refugee Protection: The Unanswered Questions, Middle East Institute, https://www.mei.edu/content/map/regional-cooperation-refugee-protection-unanswered-questions
Gleeson M, 2017, Manus detention centre: Australia is still responsible for these men — and those who haven't made it this far, ABC, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-01/manus-island-australia-still-responsible-for-these-men/9106804
News
Teaching Activity
Forced Migration & Human Rights in International Law (LAWS3187)
Forced Migration & Human Rights in International Law (JURD7387)