[Greens-Media] Children held hostage, Morrison all powerful

[Schultz-Byard, Noah (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, 5 December 2014

Children held hostage, Morrison all powerful

The Immigration Minister's new powers, which give him the ability to deny protection to refugees, return them to face guaranteed torture and send babies to the detention camp on Nauru, will have disastrous consequences the Australian Greens have said.

"Scott Morrison has successfully blackmailed the Senate cross bench by holding refugee children hostage," the Greens' immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"Never before has a Minister behaved in such a brutal way when dealing with the Senate and vulnerable children. Telling Senators that they'd better do what he wants or kids will be destroyed is a disgraceful new low for Scott Morrison.

"It's painfully clear that the Minister will abuse his new, wide ranging powers and welch on many aspects of his deal with the cross bench.

"The factories of abuse, death and mental illness on Nauru and Manus Island will continue to destroy people, including hundreds of children.

"We will continue to fight for all compassionate Australians who want to see refugees give genuine, lasting protection.

"We should be working with neighbouring countries, accelerating refugee processing and increasing Australia's intake from the region so that people are given a safe way to reach protection. That's the only way we can save lives at sea while caring for refugees."


Media Contact: Noah Schultz-Byard 0427 604 760


NOAH SCHULTZ-BYARD  STRATEGY AND COMMUNICATIONS ADVISER

OFFICE OF SENATOR SARAH HANSON-YOUNG
AUSTRALIAN GREENS SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA
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