The Government Has Caved To Pressure And Will Get Children Off Nauru
But Peter Dutton says they can't stay here.
The public pressure on politicians to take action on the dozens of children of refugees and asylum seekers suffering on Nauru is finally starting to get results, with the Coalition government today committing to removing all children from the tiny island by the end of the year.
The Australian reported today that 40 children has quietly been moved to Australia in recent weeks, while Peter Dutton has confirmed that none of the children are likely to stay here permanently.
Former Attorney-General and current High Commissioner to the UK George Brandis confirmed the government’s plans to transfer all minors off Nauru by 2019, after increased public outcry surrounding what medical professionals have called a mental health crisis.
Brandis was being grilled on a London radio station when he revealed the policy change, but not before dropping a handful of obfuscating bullshit, saying “This is a problem that has largely gone away. There are hardly any children in Nauru and in New Guinea and we expect that by the end of this year there’ll be none”.
This “problem” that has “largely gone away”, includes children under the age of ten attempting suicide, refusing to eat and/or drink and otherwise dwelling in a hopeless, unsafe existence, just so that the big scary Australian government can look “tough” on people smuggling.
The change in policy is no doubt in large part to a recent surge in public sentiment against the government’s malicious treatment of refugees, as well an internal push for gentler treatment from several coalition MPs.
Not everyone is on board with the move though, including one MP/ghoulish-halloween-mannequin-come-to-life named Tony Abbott who recently and incorrectly called Nauru “a very very pleasant island”.
Jog on Tone you literal goblin.
Refugee advocacy bodies such as the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre have welcomed the announcement, however they are also encouraging expediency for the most vulnerable amongst the remaining children on Nauru, noting that five of the remaining 38 kids on the island have repeatedly attempted at suicide.
Natasha Blucher, Detention Rights Advocacy Manager from the ASRC, says “These kids are sick. They’re sick because they’re in an environment that is making them sick. Because they’ve got no hope. We have to get these kids off Nauru now.”
“This crisis has gone on too long. And we can end this nightmare today.”
Whilst this is no doubt wonderful news and another step towards dismantling the horrific offshore processing policies of previous and current Australian governments, given the fact it has come directly after the shock Wentworth by-election and amidst plunging support for the coalition it’s hard to erase the political football-ery so transparently at work.
We’ll wait and see if Morrison and his cronies come good with this new commitment to remove these poor children from Nauru and finally bring them here.