Alexander Downer is the wrong choice to review the UK’s border force – Australia’s record is nothing to emulate

If Alexander Downer’s appointment results in Australia’s policies being exported to the UK, it would greatly undermine the international refugee protection regime. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

When it comes to harsh border policies, Australia has become an unexpected and unfortunate role model. And so it was again this week, when former Australian foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer was appointed to lead the review of the UK’s border force.

To be clear, this is a political move aimed at boosting Boris Johnson’s government’s chances of re-election. The fanfare with which the appointment was announced seems to indicate that the government believes that being seen to emulate Australia will give it a boost at the polls.