Greens urge greater support for former detainees

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has condemned the Federal Government and Opposition's refusal to investigate the psychological harm caused to children held in mandatory detention as inhumane.

Senator Hanson-Young yesterday moved a motion calling on the Government to widen its current inquiry into immigration detention in Australia to urgently look into the psychological effects on children and their families. Only the Greens and the two other cross-bench Senators supported it.

"The Tampa incident entered Australia's history books as a blight on our human rights record seven years ago this week, and yet we still have not taken responsibility for the impact it has had on innocent people," said Senator Hanson-Young.

Last month the Greens welcomed the Government's changes to its mandatory detention policy, but said that there were ongoing issues for former detainees that needed to be addressed.

"Australia likes to think of itself as a compassionate, just society, but the fact is that we have failed our international obligations to refugees in the past."

"We have a duty to assist people affected by their time spent locked up in the system, even if they are no longer detained."

Senator Hanson-Young has been made a full voting member of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration.

"I will be using my role on the Committee to ensure that this issue is not ignored any longer," she said.

"We must restore our respect for human rights and urgently attend to those suffering the long-term effects and psychological scarring caused by treatment in detention, and particularly children."

For more information: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760