[Greens-Media] AHRC inquiry reveals shocking cruelty

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

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday, 31 July 2014

AHRC inquiry reveals shocking cruelty

A sinister picture of secrecy and cruelty within the detention network is emerging from the Australian Human Rights Commission inquiry into children in detention today, the Australian Greens have said.

"This damning evidence, detailing shocking cruelty, explains why the government doesn't want people to know what's going on," the Greens' immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"A sinister culture of cruelty and cover-up has taken over in Australian detention centres and it's high time the children were released.

"The suffering of children denied medication, traumatised by lengthy detention and forced into physical and mental distress has clearly gone too far.

"Using the 'stop the boats' mantra to justify the abuse of children is immoral and senseless. The best way to ensure the suffering of children comes to an end is to release them from detention.

"Rather than recognising that this cruelty is unacceptable, the Immigration Minister is simply trying to discredit his opponents. His attempts to avoid scrutiny by blaming the eyes that uncover ugly truth are shameless.

"Less than a day after the Immigration Minister's extraordinary attack on AHRC President Gillian Triggs, she has been vindicated by the expert witnesses at today's hearing. A government obsessed with secrecy and cruelty is simply not capable of caring for young and vulnerable refugees.

"It's clear that the Immigration Minister must be stripped of his guardianship of unaccompanied refugee children."


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
[fb-icon]<https://www.facebook.com/Senator.Sarah.Hanson.Young>[twt-icon]<https://twitter.com/sarahinthesen8> [ag-icon] <http://sarah-hanson-young.greensmps.org.au/>
Level 7 / 147 Pirie St, Adelaide, SA 5000
TEL  +61 8 8227 0425   |   MOB  +61 427 604 760   |   FAX  +61 8 8227 0426

[email_sig]