Australia reviews failed bid for asylum over 'ooga-booga' note

The word 'ooga-booga', usually associated with dark-skinned savages in old Hollywood movies, has taken centre stage in a Myanmese dissident's claim for asylum in Australia.

A government-appointed body rejected her application, but concerns were raised when a written ruling was delivered with 'ooga-booga' typed next to the heading 'Definition of a Refugee'.

The official responsible claims she inserted the 'nonsense' word to test a malfunctioning computer spellchecker, then forgot to omit it from the final version.

Overturning her decision, federal magistrate Grant Riethmuller cited reviews of Peter Jackson's movie King Kong to show that 'ooga-booga' appeared 'to have overtones of mysticism and racism in its more modern uses'.

'I am of the view that a fair-minded observer appraised of the facts and circumstances of the ooga-booga comment would entertain a reasonable apprehension of bias,' said the judge.

The case is the latest in a long line of gaffes to have embroiled the immigration system in Australia, where the government's tough detention policies have attracted international criticism.

The Myanmese asylum seeker feared her pro-democracy activism would put her at risk of persecution if she returned home.