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Asylum Seekers and Refugees

National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention (2014)

Date
Australia currently holds about 800 children in mandatory closed immigration detention for indefinite periods, with no pathway to protection or settlement. This includes 186 children detained on Nauru. Children and their families have been held on the mainland and on Christmas Island for, on average, one year and two months. Over 167 babies have been born in detention within the last 24 months. This Report gives a voice to these children.

Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014

 

Australian Citizenship and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2014

Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission

 

6 November 2014

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Migration Amendment (Protecting Babies Born in Australia) Bill 2014

 

Migration Amendment (Protecting Babies Born in Australia) Bill 2014

Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission

 

19 August 2014

 

Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014


Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment (Resolving the Asylum Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014

Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission


31 October 2014


 

Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Character and General Visa Cancellation) Bill 2014

 

Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Character and General Visa Cancellation) Bill 2014

Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission

 

28 October 2014

Celebration of brave journalism

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

Introduction and acknowledgement

Thank you Andrew for your welcome.

Before I begin I would like to acknowledge that we meet on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to elders, past and present. May I also acknowledge Peter Greste’s parents and family who have joined us tonight.

I thank Al Jazeera for the invitation and congratulate them for its focus on sharing the human story in a depth that is unusual in this age of the five second doorstop grab.

Information concerning Australia’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture

Information concerning Australia’s compliance with the Convention Against Torture

 

Submission by the Australian Human Rights Commission

17 October 2014

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Expert reports from visits to immigration detention centres

Wednesday 3 September, 2014

The Commission visited various immigration detention centres as part of the Inquiry.

The Commission was accompanied by various independent consultants including paediatricians and child psychiatrists. The following are some of the reports prepared by these consultants after their visits to immigration detention centres.

These expert reports do not represent the views of the Commission.

 

Visit to Christmas Island from 1 – 8 March 2014:

Detention shame: children, mothers self-harming

By Gillian Triggs

Posted 24 Jul 2014, 3:48pm

Photo: A drawing by a child in the Christmas Island detention centre in 2014. (Supplied: Australian Human Rights Commission)

Asylum seeker children and their families in detention on Christmas Island are plagued by despair and helplessness - and the situation is only deteriorating, writes Gillian Triggs.

A team from the Australian Human Rights Commission has just returned from Christmas Island where we met extremely distressed mothers and children - including a number of young mothers on 24-hour suicide watch.

Commission’s previous work on children in immigration detention

Tuesday 5 August, 2014

The Commission has long held serious concerns about the impact of Australia’s mandatory immigration detention system, particularly on children.

In 1999-2000 the numbers of children in detention began to significantly increase. In November 2001, when there were over 700 children in detention, Human Rights Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski announced an inquiry into children in immigration detention. The Inquiry published its report, A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, in April 2004.