Rudd Government values improve immigration detention policies
Friday, 15 May 2009
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, said today that the Rudd Government’s immigration detention values introduced last year are designed to ensure people are treated humanely.
Senator Evans said the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s report on the 2003 treatment of an Iranian man and his daughter while in Baxter detention centre highlight the inhumane manner in which the Howard Government treated asylum seekers.
The man’s seven-year-old daughter was sent back to Iran without her father’s knowledge while he was being held in solitary confinement. The man was told his daughter was being taken on a shopping excursion.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has apologised to the man and an apology will also be provided to his daughter.
Senator Evans said he has asked the department to advise on whether there may be a case to compensate the man and his daughter.
‘I was shocked and deeply concerned after reading the Ombudsman’s report,’ Senator Evans said.
‘Unfortunately, the department was implementing the policies of the Howard government and treating people in detention according to those standards.
‘The Rudd Labor Government has very different values and has rejected the way the Howard government ran immigration detention. We expect people to be treated humanely.
‘The new detention values introduced last year should mean that we should not see a repeat of this kind of treatment.
‘The values commit to a risk-based approach to detention, to detention for the shortest practicable period and to the rejection of indefinite or otherwise arbitrary detention.
‘The Rudd Government will not allow children to be detained in an immigration detention centre.
‘The Rudd Government is committed to processing asylum claims fairly and promptly. People found to be owed our protection will be entitled to a refugee visa. If they are found not to be owed Australia’s protection, they will be removed.’
Labor is committed to meeting Australia’s international obligations under the UN Refugee Convention.
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2009/ce09041.htm
Last update: 15 May 2009 at 17:53 AEST