A blight on all Australians

That Australians still tolerates refugees being imprisoned - often in locations far away from cities or even decent-sized towns - is a disgrace and a blight on all Australians. The effect on just about all those imprisoned is trauma if not self-harm and suicide. Politicians of all persuasions, apart from the Greens, stand sorely condemned for their callous and uncaring response to the on-going issue of imprisoned asylum-seekers.

"According to the International Detention Coalition (IDC), Australia currently holds 528 children in secure and remote facilities. Last week it released its Captured Childhoods report at the 19th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The authors spent two years listening first-hand to the stories of children and parents from all over the world who have experienced or been impacted by immigration detention.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen responded with a statement that that the 'Federal Government is continuing to move children and vulnerable families out of detention facilities'. Effectively it underlined how slowly this is taking place, as if there is no urgency.

The Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition said nothing. It was left to the Greens' Sarah Hanson-Young to urge legislation to outlaw child detention and to declare that it is 'shameful that Australia is on the list of countries that locks children up simply for seeking refuge and safety'."

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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