[Greens-Media] Sri Lankan asylum seekers should receive legal advice

[Phillips, Max (Sen K. Nettle)]

Sri Lankan asylum seekers should receive legal advice
 
17 April 2007
 
Australian Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today said that the  Department
of  Immigration should not have begun interviews with the Sri Lankan
asylum seekers until they had received proper legal advice and called
for them to be brought to Australia for assessment.
 
"The interviews being conducted without legal advice on Nauru highlight
the problems with off-shore processing.  If they were being processed in
Australia they would have had access to independent legal advice," said
Senator Nettle.
 
"The processing system and standards on Nauru are far murkier than in
the process in Australia, and these people are having to navigate the
system without legal assistance.  The Greens are concerned that a fair
and just outcome may not result.
 
"The government should have waited until the Sri Lankans who have
retained a lawyer had the opportunity to have proper legal advice.
 
"The government should not do a quick and dirty job of processing these
people just to meet the six month deadline imposed by Nauru.
 
"The sensible and less expensive option would be to bring the 83 Sri
Lankans to Australia where they can receive legal advice more easily and
better processing system is in place.
 
"Failing that, the government should provide adequate funding for a
legal team to fly to Nauru and advice the Sri Lankans.
 
 
Contact:  Max Phillips 0414 338 526