ChilOut Press Release 3 May 2003

More asylum seeker Children in Detention
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On the release of current statistics of asylum seekers held in Australian
detention, the lobby group ChilOut today began preparing fresh submissions
to the United Nations and Amnesty International to put more pressure on
the Australian government to free the children. 
 
ChilOut Co-ordinator, Dianne Hiles, said "once again we appeal to the
Federal Government to put families with children into housing
accommodation and to place unaccompanied minors into foster or community
care.
 
Ms Hiles said that despite undertakings last year by Immigration Minister
Philip Ruddock to transfer more detainee children into alternative
accommodation, this hadn't happened. 
 
"Despite Mr Ruddock's undertaking to release more detainees into the
residential housing project at Woomera, this also hasn't happened," Ms
Hiles said.
 
"A Federal Parliamentary delegation that visited Woomera last month found
only fifteen people in residence in the Woomera houses, where there's room
for 25;    better still Mr Ruddock should   release families with children
into the general community - as ChilOut has time and again pressed him
to." 
 
"Women and children in the Woomera houses are still heavily restricted and
supervised."
 
"Why can't Mr Ruddock do as he says he will.   Last October he promised
there would be fewer children in detention.   Now there are more, not
fewer and Australia's image worldwide remains as black as ever."
 
"309 children in captivity last October has become 336;   and we can never
explain away the fact that Australia has kept a child in detention for
five years and five months - the age she turned this month."   
 
"She was born in a detention camp and has lived in one ever since.   This
in Australia."   
 
"Mr Ruddock of course likes to play tricks with the statistics.   His
preferred figure for children held in captivity is 124.    He likes to
exclude those held on Nauru, Manus and Christmas Islands.   Why?   Who
else is holding them if Australia is not?"
 
Ms Hiles said five of the children had no parents.      
 
"In this sorry picture of how we continue to treat people who came here
seeking asylum for themselves and their children, nothing changes. The
media still isn't allowed access to the camps.   Why not?" Ms Hiles said.
 
"The government doesn't volunteer the statistics. We get them from the
opposition members of a parliamentary delegation, or dragged out of the
government at question time.     The Government prefers to conceal and say
nothing.   
 
 "The Coalition's shameful policies expose a total lack of respect for the
rights of children.   
 
"The Woomera trial is basically cosmetic and once again ChilOut asks Mr
Ruddock   to release families with children   into the community - whole
families so that children are not separated from their fathers.
 
 
Media inquiries:   Dianne Hiles 0425 244 667  May 4, 2003

Web site: www.chilout.org