News & Updates
Crayon debacle
12-01-2012 
Kids were turned away from Darwin Airport Lodge on Christmas Day because they tried to give gifts of crayons and textas to those in detention. 

Minister sends kids back to detention
16-12-2011 
ChilOut is appalled the Minister has revoked the community placement of 8 kids and sent them back to adult detention.

No hidden benefit in detaining children
16-11-2011 
Independent children's body critical of Inverbrackie detention centre. Access to health care and play is seriously questioned. ChilOut speaks out.

Online donations
15-11-2011 
ChilOut now has an online donation facility. Click here to make a donation.

Deterring People Smuggling Bill. Senate Inquiry
10-11-2011 
ChilOut has met the super tight timeframe on this one. If passed, this Bill could see refugees and asylum seekers suffer further. There is no international precedence for this.

The Recent High Court Ruling
13-09-2011 

We congratulate David Manne and the RILC team for bringing this case for two Afghan plaintiffs, one adult and one 16 year old, before the High Court.



CLICK HERE for more information


A New Approach. Breaking the Stalemate on Refugees and Asylum Seekers
06-09-2011 
ChilOut Chair, Kate Gauthier has contributed to a major report strongly supporting calls to reframe the debate around refugee issues.


Click here for the full report

ChilOut flyer and E-card
14-03-2011 
Chilout has produced a flyer and e-card.  Click here to get the PDF to print or e-card to email around


Archive
ChilOut in the media
Here some articles written by the ChilOut team and below is a list of just some of our work in the media...
 
Take more asylum seekers to ensure fewer boats The Punch, 22 December 2011
Both major parties engage in spin and tough talk only 24hours after the tragic loss of life off the coast of Java. ChilOut gives some perspective and actual policy ideas. Read online   

Christmas gifts for child asylum seekers SBS Radio, 23 November 2011 
ChilOut's Sophie Peer explains an alternative Christmas gift; donations that will result in an unaccompanied child in immigration detention receiving a present listen online

This Is Not A Kid-Friendly Policy  New Matilda, 19 May 2011
Just how many kids are still locked up? The clock is ticking on Chris Bowen's commitment to get kids out of immigration detention by June. NM reviews the ALP's broken promises on child asylum seekers Read online
 
Asylum children facing mental health crisis  The Australian, 16 February 2011
An epidemic of mental illness is developing among children incarcerated in immigration detention centres around Australia, with the numbers of underage detainees at a record and conditions worsening.  "The psychological state of all of them is poor (and) it's reaching boiling point," says Kate Gauthier, chairwoman of ChilOut, which is campaigning for the release of all minors from immigration detention. "It's a mental health crisis, not waiting to happen, but a mental health crisis that is happening."  Read online
 
All at sea: The Age, 15 October 2010
ChilO ut ambassador Najeeba is quoted in this indepth article on the detention of children:   
For Najeeba Wazefadost, one thing is clear - children and families must be released from detention. As a child, the chatty 21-year-old former refugee from Afghanistan was detained for two months in Curtin. She recalls the boat journey as one of hope. Her family had escaped war and possible death at the hands of the Taliban, and her mother had given birth to a baby boy at sea.  Read online   
 
Fighting to get children out of detention, again.   The Wire, 12 October 2010   
Featuring Alanna Hector, spokesperson for ChilOut.