[Greens-Media] Hanson-Young: Asylum seekers belong on mainland for checks and claims processing

[Clark, Gemma (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

Friday 19 December 2008

Asylum seekers belong on mainland for checks and claims processing

The Greens say Immigration Minister Chris Evans should not be opening
the Christmas Island detention centre to detain recently arrived asylum
seekers.

The $400 million, 800-bed detention centre on Christmas Island was built
by the Howard Government but left unoccupied until now.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Christmas Island detention
centre should never have been built and should not be housing asylum
seekers now.

"This facility, of monstrous size and cost to taxpayers, is not an
appropriate way to accommodate people who have arrived in Australia
seeking our assistance," she said.

"It has been described even by Government MP Michael Danby as an
'enormous white elephant'.

"Minister Evans is making a big mistake in opening up this symbol of the
Howard regime's appalling mishandling of asylum seekers."

Senator Hanson-Young said asylum seekers should be brought to mainland
Australia for prompt processing of their claims, health and security
checks.

"Offshore processing of claims entrenches an out-of-sight, out-of-mind
attitude towards asylum seekers, and the psychological and physical
effects of remote high-security detention are now well known," she said.

"These people deserve timely attention from officials, and access to
community services and support - which is made very difficult when they
are being detained thousands of kilometres away from the nearest capital
city.

"Public scrutiny and media access are also important to ensure all
practices are in accordance with human rights and dignity of treatment.

"The Greens will continue to push for the Government to re-think their
offshore claims processing, and instead introduce better practices
adopted from overseas, such as promptly carrying out health and security
checks in residential housing arrangements on the mainland."

Media contact: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760