rtc-banner-vic rtc-banner-vic rtc-welcome-banner rtc-banner-vic
1 2 3 4 5
Step Carousel jQuery by WOWSlider.com v1.9m

Mar 27, 2013

Over 1,000 children in detention today

Over 1,000 children in detention today

The Government and Department of Immigration (DIAC) have said things like 'there are no children in immigration detention'. The figures above are from DIAC.

So how can this be? Sadly, it's a game of semantics with the reality being that children are most       definitely locked up, according to latest figures 1000 of them.* 

In 2005, the Migration Act was amended to affirm ‘as a principle’ that a minor should only be detained  as a measure of last resort. In 2008 the ALP Government introduced a policy called 'New Directions in Detention' which stated that 'children, and, where possible, their families, will not be detained in an immigration detention centre (IDC)'. So what we see now are called Alternative Places of Detention or APODs, Regional Processing Centres (RPC) and Immigration Residential Housing (IRH).

Whatever acronym is given to these facilities. The fact remains they are all places of detention, they are run by private security firms, children are behind fences, under guard and their basic freedoms are denied. Many are in remote locations such as Leonora, Manus Island and Christmas Island. 

Every single child who arrives to Australia by boat to seek asylum is locked up. it is not a 'last resort' it is standard practice.

Every one of these children is locked up for an indefinite period of time, many children and families are moved from one detention facility to the next, to the next. This includes children who are not accompanied by any adult relative (UAMs, Unaccompanied Minors).

ChilOut calls for an expansion of the Community Detention (CD) program which allows families to live in the community in a designated location, with support and with many freedoms. For unaccompanied minors this usually involves a group home situation with trained care staff. The community model is tried and tested. It works, it is far more cost effective than a secure detention facility, asylum seekers do no abscond, more staff can be trained to work in the program and more money could be spent on housing options rather than incredibly expensive detention centres, RPCs, APODs, IRHs or any other acronym the Government and Department care to create. 

*DIAC statistics do not show a figure for the Manus Island RPC where we know there are approximately 27 children detained today. 

Some more background from the Human Rights Commission Particularly  relevant is the section 'Are children detained?'

More on APODs, IRH etc..

Comments

May 31, 2012

Rights of children transcend politics

Rights of children transcend politics

(L to R) Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Mujtaba Amadhi, Giselle Newton, Liberal MP Judith Moylan, Tim Neal, Ali Mohammadi, Hussain Aklaqi, ALP Senator Lisa Singh.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie and ALP MP Janelle Saffin also attended this event but were with journalists at the time if this photo.

Showing that the issue of children in indefinite and remote immigration detention is an issue beyond politics, all of these parliamentarians atteneded a press event in support of the ChilOut 2012 Ambassadors.

Greens Senator Hanson-Young; 'This is a human rights issue, a child rights issue, this is above politics. The Immigration Minister must relinquish his role as guardian of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum.'

Liberal MP Judy Moylan; 'The mechanism for change is there, what we need is the political will. The ongoing indefinite detention of children seeking asylum is a shame on this country.'

ALP MP Janelle Saffin; 'proud to have passionate young people like Giselle in her electorate who are committed to upholding human rights. Will work through all possible channels to see changes that ensure children are only detained for the shortest possible amount of time.'

ALP Senator Lisa Singh; 'There is tri-partisan support for getting children out of immigration detention', thanked ChilOut for bringing this group together.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie; 'I categorically oppose the indefinite detention of children seeking asylum, it is unnecessary, unethical and harmful. The present situation whereby refugees cannot challenge ASIO findings is not in line with natural justice.'

More images from the day

Just some of the media coverage: Herald Sun, ABC, SBS, Northen Star, Northern Rivers Echo

Our media release

Comments

May 17, 2012

If it looks like a duck...

If it looks like a duck...

Sandi H Logan is the Department of Immigration's National Communications Manager and quite often, spokesperson. He is continually telling the public things like 'children are in facilities not detention centres'. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck...

The fact is that tonight 428 children will sleep inside a 'facility' that is locked and under guard. Tomorrow morning these children cannot choose to ride their bike to school, they cannot choose to get a part-time job, they cannot choose to visit their Aunty or friend in a metroplitan suburb of Australia. These children are locked up indefinitely. Australia's policies and practices are harming them and it makes no difference what the 'facility' is called. 

Comments