human rights? hmmm not sure about the issue here.

If this guy is so wedded to Aus why didn't he take out Aus citizenship or even residency? As for not being met at the airport, there is no reason for officials to meet deported individuals. In any case, I was under the impression that Sweden's welfare system was better than ours and he is a citizen.. So why didn't he or a relative at least look up the details of where to go for help before he got on a plane?

Someone had enough nouse, time and money to apply to the UN on behalf of this guy, where that application had only a slim chance of helping him, but no one had the time and inclination to do anything practical - such as check on welfare agencies in Sweden, and what a citizen can ask for.

Talk about a total, counterproductive waste of time.

Agree with other posters. A lot of money was expended, with forlorn time wasting, human rights actions/appeals. n.b. As already pointed out, he could have and should have taken out citizenship?
Albeit, he would have be automatically excluded, if his criminal record preceded any application?
The thousands wasted on fruitless appeals might have been better spent on language lessons; and or, warm clothing/accommodation. I mean he seemed to have plenty of moneyed friends, anxious to establish a legal precedent, with their appeals, but none whatsoever, once he landed in Sweden?

There may be a pattern discernible here.

According to the author:

"In Europe, there is just such a ‘supranational’ court – the European Court of Human Rights, and its judgments cause no end of controversy"

And

"25 [communications with the Committee] resulted in findings of violations of the ICCPR, yet not a single one has prompted a change to [Australia's] domestic law, and only very few have prompted changes in practice (usually without admission of fault)."

The question that clearly needs to be asked, is whether there is any point whatsoever in a "supranational" body, of any kind, that seeks or purports to override a nation's laws and processes.

Leaving aside the Human Rights angle for a moment, a quick glance at the situation in which the Euro zone finds itself should be salutary.

But if we are happy to ignore the recommendations of a committee that - literally - has no jurisdiction, on what basis do we encourage people to believe that any good, whatsoever, would come from a petition to such a body?

That's just cruel.