Amnesty International commends Government on abolition of detention debt
Amnesty International welcomes news that on 8 September 2009 the Senate passed the Migration Amendment (Abolishing Detention Debt) Bill 2009. The organisation noted that the move is an important step towards making Australia’s immigration policy more humane, and bringing the country further in line with its international obligations.
For 17 years, asylum seekers in Australia, including recognised refugees, have been made liable for the costs of their involuntary detention.
Refugees come to Australia fleeing persecution, many of them severely traumatised. When they arrive, they are faced with extended periods of uncertainty and instability. Amnesty International believes the policy of imposing the burden of huge and unmanageable debts upon these people has always been incomprehensible.
Amnesty International commends the Federal Government for taking the step to remove this massive burden from people attempting to rebuild their lives in Australia.
Our refugee campaign is committed to ensuring that all asylum seekers in Australia are treated humanely, fairly and with dignity. We continue to call for further reforms to occur for Australia to fulfil international human rights obligations.
Comments
Kylie | Posted on 21 September 2009, 09:05PM | Report comment
Clearing the debt is fantastic news. These people risk their lives and put themselves in danger to seek help within the country that prides itself on getting a “fair go”. The report’s on Australia’s detention centres to the wider Australian community is skewed and the real proceedings unfortunately not expressed. There is so much cover up and people need to be made aware of the way these people are being inhumanly treated. Detention centres are no place for any one, especially small children. It is a complete breach of human rights and honestly, I believe, it is one of the reasons a bill of human rights wont be passed in Australia, especially with the new population projections for the future. Australia is a rich and prosperous country and we have the capacity for greater occupancy so why don’t we move forward!?
Marilyn | Posted on 18 September 2009, 11:57PM | Report comment
But now the truth is coming out that the navy are still brutalising people, we are paying mercenaries to lock them up in ratholes in Indonesia and Christmas Island has been exposed as a horror story by David Marr.