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Ms Madeline Gleeson

Ms Madeline Gleeson

Senior Lecturer

BInSt (UNSW)Ìý

LLB (Hons) (UNSW)

Master of International Law (IHEID)

Law & Justice
School of Global & Public Law

Madeline Gleeson is a lawyer and Senior Research Fellow 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. SheÌýhas 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 theÌýGraduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland; a BachelorÌýof Laws (with First Class Honours)Ìýand Bachelor of International Studies from theÌýUniversity of New South Wales in Sydney,ÌýAustralia; and a Diploma in Political Studies (Certificat d’Etudes Politiques) from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques d’Aix-en-Provence, France.ÌýShe is admitted as a practitioner of the High Court of Australia and theÌýSupreme Court of New South Wales.
E-mail
madeline.gleeson@unsw.edu.au
Location
Room 152, Law Centres Precinct (Level 1)
  • Books | 2016
    Gleeson M, 2016, Offshore Behind the wire on Manus and Nauru, NewSouth
    Books | 2012
    Gleeson M, 2012, State of Migration An Overview of Forced Displacement in Cambodia, Jesuit Refugee Service Cambodia
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Gleeson M, 2024, 'Unlocking CEDAW's Transformative Potential: Asylum Cases Before the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women’ (2024) 118(1) 41', American Journal of International Law, 118, pp. 41 - 97
    Journal articles | 2022
    Gleeson M; Wood T; Barbour B; Jeffries R; Moodley R, 2022, 'Case Law Summaries', International Journal of Refugee Law, 34, pp. 82 - 92,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Gleeson M; Loper K, 2021, 'Introduction, Special Issue on the Rohingya and the Andaman Sea Crisis: Six Years On', Asia Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Gleeson M; Wood T; Barbour B; Jefferies R; Moodley R, 2021, 'Case Law Summaries', International Journal of Refugee Law, 33, pp. 671 - 681
    Journal articles | 2021
    Wood T; Barbour B; Gleeson M; Jefferies R; Moodley R, 2021, 'Kwatra v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FCA 58 (4 February 2021)', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REFUGEE LAW, 33, pp. 497 - 505,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Barbour B; Gleeson M; Jefferies R; Moodley R, 2020, 'BFH16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2020] FCAFC 54 (31 March 2020)', INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REFUGEE LAW, 32, pp. 507 - 518,
    Journal articles | 2019
    Gleeson M, 2019, 'Monitoring places of immigration detention in Australia under OPCAT', Australian Journal of Human Rights, 25, pp. 150 - 169,
    Journal articles | 2019
    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, 31, pp. 415 - 463,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, 'Unprecedented but Unfulfilled: Refugee Protection and Regional Responses to the Andaman Sea ‘Crisis’', Antropologi Indonesia, 38,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Gleeson M, 2012, 'Under development: property law, human rights and development in Cambodia', Property Law Review, 2, pp. 114 - 114
  • Other | 2024
    Ghezelbash D; Talbot A; McAdam J; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2024, Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the Migration Amendment Bill 2024, /content/dam/pdfs/law/kaldor/submissions/2024-11-migration-bill-cth.pdf
    Other | 2024
    McAdam J; Ghezelbash D; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2024, Kaldor Centre statement on new migration bill, /news/2024/03/Kaldor-Centre-statement-deportation-bill
    Other | 2024
    McAdam J; Ghezelbash D; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2024, Submission No 11 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the Migration Amendment (Removals and Other Measures) Bill 2024,
    Other | 2024
    McAdam J; Ghezelbash D; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2024, Written evidence to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Response to Questions on Notice from Senator Paul Scarr, /content/dam/pdfs/law/kaldor/resources/2024-04-submission/2024-04-answers-to-questions-on-notice-senator-paul-scarr-migration-amendment-removal-and-other-measures-Bill.pdf
    Reports | 2023
    Gleeson M; Talbot A, 2023, Migration Amendment (Evacuation to Safety) Bill 2023,
    Submissions to Government | 2023
    Gleeson M, 2023, Letter to Hon Andrew Giles MP and Hon Clare O'Neil MP, ,
    Submissions to Government | 2023
    Gleeson M, 2023, Submission on Draft general comment No. 1 on places of deprivation of liberty (article 4),
    Reports | 2023
    McAdam J; Ghezelbash D; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2023, Submission to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights inquiry into Australia's human rights framework,
    Reports | 2022
    Gleeson M; Ghezelbash D; Pillai S, 2022, Torture and cruel treatment in Australia’s refugee protection and immigration detention regimes: Submission to the UN Committee Against Torture’s sixth periodic review of Australia,
    Reports | 2022
    Gleeson M; Hodgson N, 2022, Offshore Processing and Asylum Policy – Lessons from Australia: Post event report
    Reports | 2022
    Gleeson M; Pillai S, 2022, Follow-up Civil Society Report on United Nations Human Rights Committee Concluding Observations 2017 – 2019: Australia,
    Recorded / Rendered Creative Works | 2022
    Gleeson M, 2022, Cruel, costly and ineffective: The failure of offshore processing in Australia, Published: 07 January 2022, Recorded / Rendered Creative Works,
    Reports | 2022
    Gleeson M, 2022, Letter to the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT),
    Submissions to Government | 2022
    Gleeson M, 2022, Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration on the Ending Indefinite and Arbitrary Immigration Detention Bill 2021,
    Other | 2021
    Gleeson M; Yacoub N, 2021, Cruel, costly and ineffective: Australia’s offshore processing asylum seeker policy turns 9, The Conversation,
    Reports | 2021
    Gleeson M; Yacoub N, 2021, Cruel, costly and ineffective: The failure of offshore processing in Australia, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, 'Cruel, costly and ineffective: The failure of offshore processing in Australia', presented at Presentation to the Australian Institute of International Affairs, 07 September 2021
    Conference Presentations | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, 'Next Steps for the Asylum system in the UK', presented at Westminster Legal Policy Forum keynote seminar, 08 September 2021
    Reports | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Australia's obligations to asylum seeker children sent to Nauru, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Other | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand), Oxford University Press,
    Other | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand), Oxford University Press,
    Submissions to Government | 2021
    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,
    Reports | 2021
    McAdam J; Goodwin-Gill G; Gleeson M; Higgins C; Pillai S; Hodgson N; Yacoub N, 2021, Submission on the Nationality and Borders Bill 2021,
    Reports | 2020
    Australian OPCAT Network ; Gleeson M, 2020, The Implementation of OPCAT in Australia, Cambridge University Press (CUP), ,
    Creative Written Works | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, World in motion, Inside Story,
    Conference Presentations | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, 'Chair's remarks, 'Asia-Pacific'', presented at Emerging Scholars Network Workshop 2020, 11 November 2020
    Conference Presentations | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, 'Chair's remarks, 'International protection'', presented at Emerging Scholars Network Workshop 2020, 12 November 2020
    Conference Presentations | 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
    Other | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand),
    Other | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand),
    Other | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand),
    Other | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand), Oxford University Press,
    Other | 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,
    Other | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, More boats and a pandemic bring urgency to unanswered questions of the Andaman Sea crisis, ,
    Other | 2020
    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,
    Other | 2020
    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,
    Curatorial Outputs | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, The Andaman Sea crisis: 5 years on, exhibited at: , 29 June 2020 - 18 December 2020,
    Other | 2019
    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],
    Other | 2019
    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],
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M; Pillai S, 2019, A legal blackhole?,
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M, 2019, Case Law Summaries (Australia and New Zealand), Oxford University Press,
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M, 2019, Evidence to Senate inquiry on Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019 [Provisions], Canberra,
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M, 2019, Evidence to Senate inquiry on Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort) Bill 2019 [Provisions], Canberra,
    Other | 2019
    Gleeson M, 2019, Five Questions: On six years of Australia’s offshore processing policy, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, ,
    Other | 2019
    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],
    Conference Papers | 2018
    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
    Reports | 2018
    Gleeson M, 2018, Australia's Responsibility for Offshore Processing on Nauru and Manus Island, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Reports | 2018
    Gleeson M, 2018, European Responses to Forced Migration: 2015 – June 2018, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Reports | 2018
    Gleeson M, 2018, Refugee Status Determination in Nauru, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Reports | 2018
    Gleeson M, 2018, Refugee Status Determination on Manus Island, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Reports | 2018
    Gleeson M, 2018, The Australia-Cambodia Refugee Deal, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law,
    Creative Written Works | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, IMAs and UMAs and SAMs: A powerful anthology about asylum seekers, Australian Book Review,
    Conference Papers | 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
    Conference Papers | 2017
    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
    Conference Papers | 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
    Other | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, Australia's role in the refugee compact, Lowy Institute, ,
    Other | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, Australia’s use of offshore immigration detention,
    Other | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, Transfer Tracker, Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, ,
    Creative Written Works | 2016
    Gleeson M, 2016, Searching for Truth in all the Hidden Places, Sydney PEN Magazine,
    Conference Papers | 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
    Conference Papers | 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
    Conference Papers | 2016
    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
    Other | 2016
    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, ,
    Other | 2016
    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, ,
    Other | 2016
    Gleeson M, 2016, Manus Island: behind the wire, ,
    Other | 2016
    Gleeson M, 2016, Offshore processing: failing those we should protect,
    Other | 2016
    Gleeson M, 2016, Single refugee women knew they were easy prey,
    Other | 2016
    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, ,
    Other | 2016
    Gleeson M, 2016, The Australia-Cambodia Refugee Relocation Agreement Is Unique, But Does Little to Improve Protection, Migration Policy Institute, ,
    Reports | 2016
    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,
    Other | 2016
    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], ,
    Conference Papers | 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 Papers | 2015
    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
    Other | 2015
    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, ,
    Other | 2015
    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, ,
    Reports | 2014
    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,
  • Media | 2024
    McAdam J; Ghezelbash D; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2024, The Consequences of the Government’s New Migration Legislation Could Be Dire – For Individuals and for Australia, ,
    Media | 2023
    Gleeson M, 2023, How Australia inspired the UK's floating detention centre, The Saturday Paper,
    Media | 2023
    McAdam J; Barbour B; Higgins C; Ghezelbash D; Gleeson M; Harley T, 2023, Our cruel and costly offshore processing system was a failure. We have a better solution on asylum policy, The Conversation,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Australia’s asylum policy has been a disaster. It’s deeply disturbing the UK wants to adopt it, The Conversation, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Does offshore processing work?, ABC Radio, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, How Australia's tough stance on immigration is influencing European policy, ABC Radio, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, How should Australia respond to asylum seekers arriving by sea during the COVID-19 pandemic?, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, MV Tampa – 20 years on, 2ser, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Offshore processing in the Nationality and Borders Bill, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Should refugees continue to be considered outside of Australia?, ,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, The Wire, 2ser,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Unpicking the legacy of the Tampa,
    Media | 2021
    Gleeson M, 2021, Unpicking the legacy of the Tampa, ,
    Media | 2020
    Gleeson M, 2020, Offshore processing didn't work and Australia's mistakes shouldn't be repeated elsewhere, The Guardian, ,
    Media | 2020
    Green M; Gleeson M, 2020, What happened to the asylum seekers medically evacuated to Australia?, The Guardian, ,
    Media | 2020
    McAdam J; Gleeson M, 2020, Australia's offshore asylum centres have been a cruel disaster. They must not be replicated by the UK, ,
    Media | 2019
    Gleeson M, 2019, Behrouz Boochani: Still in limbo, Lowy Institute, ,
    Media | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, Manus detention centre: Australia is still responsible for these men — and those who haven't made it this far, ABC, ,
    Media | 2017
    Gleeson M, 2017, Regional Cooperation on Refugee Protection: The Unanswered Questions, Middle East Institute, ,

Awards, prizes and nominations

  • Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Non-FictionÌý(2017)
  • Longlisted, Stella Prize (2016)
  • UNSW Law Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (2016)
  • Longlisted, Walkley Book Award (2016)
  • Shortlisted, Queensland Literary AwardsÌý(The University of Queensland Non-fiction Book Award)Ìý(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)Ìý
Ìý

My Teaching

Forced Migration & Human Rights in International Law (LAWS3187)

Forced Migration & Human Rights in International Law (JURD7387)

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