immigration detention inquiry Archives - Page 2 of 2

Greens urge govt stop destroying families and change ASIO Act

May 14, 2012

The Australian Greens have today urged the federal government to change the ASIO Act after revelations another family has been torn apart and faces indefinite detention even though they have been granted refugee protection. “The Greens were deeply upset by last night’s Lateline story on a young Sri Lankan woman and her two sons who have been removed from Melbourne to Villawood detention centre,” Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said. “Australia authorities found they were refugees and gave them…

Immigration Dept’s budget blow out was avoidable with time limits and more community release places: Greens

May 9, 2012

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Archived Press Releases

The blow out of more than $1 billion dollars in the Immigration Department’s budget was avoidable had the government finally put time limits on detention and increased community release places, the Australian Greens said today. “The annual average cost of a community release programme is $10,400 per person, compared to more than $137,000 if an asylum seeker is kept indefinitely in a detention centre,” Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said. “Detention centre operating costs are of course higher for…

Reduce Immigration Dept’s slice of budget spending with detention time limits and more community release places: Greens

May 6, 2012

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Archived Press Releases

The government can trim the Immigration Department’s budget from blowing out in the vicinity of $3 billion this Tuesday by putting time limits on detention and funding more community release places for asylum seekers, the Australian Greens say. “It’s 90 percent cheaper and 100 percent fairer for asylum seekers to live in the community once health and security checks prove it’s safe than warehousing them in detention centres,” Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young, said today. “Given community release schemes cost…

Bowen maintains shameful policy of keeping 428 asylum seeker children detained: Greens

April 27, 2012

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Archived Press Releases

Figures showing 428 children remain detained demonstrate the Immigration Minister continues to flout our international obligations and neglects his duty as legal guardian to act in their best interests, the Australian Greens said today. “Australia is still punishing, rather than protecting, vulnerable children by locking them up simply because they have fled war, torture and persecution,” Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said. “We must change the law because children are being detained as a matter of course and the…

Greens urge Bowen to relinquish guardianship of unaccompanied children and release them into community

April 24, 2012

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Archived Press Releases

The Australian Greens have today urged the Immigration Minister to relinquish his role as the legal guardian of 26 Vietnamese unaccompanied children in detention in Darwin and release them into the community. “The Minister must cease being the legal guardian of all unaccompanied children and be replaced by an independent advocate who can act in their best interests and stand up for their welfare,” Greens’ immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said. “This desperate plea in a letter today from a…