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Media Pack Homepage Statements by Dr Sev Ozdowski, Human Rights Commissioner (Audio Files for Download) Inquiry Commissioner and Assistants Biographies About the Inquiry Inquiry Methodology Terms of Reference Useful Links and Resources

The commissioner will inquire into the adequacy and appropriateness of Australia's treatment of child asylum seekers, and other children who are, or have been, held in immigration detention, including:

1. The provisions made by Australia to implement its international human rights obligations regarding child asylum seekers, including unaccompanied minors.

(1) For the purpose of the performance of its functions, the Commission may make an examination or hold an inquiry in such manner as it thinks fit and, in informing itself in the course of an examination or inquiry, is not bound by the rules of evidence.

As a former teacher at the Woomera IRPC, I was able to witness at first hand, the conditions of detention and the resulting outcomes for Asylum Seekers.

The Law Institute of Victoria wishes to endorse the Legal section of the Submission by KIDS (Kids in Detention Story) to you Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention.

The adequacy and effectiveness of policies, agreements, laws, rules and practices governing children in immigration detention or child asylum seekers and refugees residing in the community after a period of detention.

How can the baptized claim to welcome Christ if they close the door to the foreigner who comes knocking? " If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brothers or sisters in need, yet closes his heart against them, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 Jn 3:17)

The Commission's jurisdiction to hear and determine complaints of unlawful discrimination ceased on 13 April 2000 with the commencement of the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Act (No.1) 1999 (Cth) and was transferred to the Federal Court and Federal Magistrates Service. The Commission retained the jurisdiction to complete those public inquiries that had commenced prior to 13 April 2000.

Australia's Immigration Detention Centres are contradictory to the human rights of the child. The Immigration Detention experience is extremely harmful to children and has effects of traumatisation and re-traumatisation during the Detention experience and continuing after release. Concerning alternatives to Detention, the present options are also not geared towards the best interest of the child.

This submission addresses some of the issues and questions raised in the background papers prepared by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and in relation to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951) and its 1967 Protocol (the Refugee Convention). The conclusions drawn in this submission arise…

My name is Keysar Trad. I am the Vice President of the Lebanese Muslims Association in Sydney. The Lebanese Muslims Association was established in 1961 by a group of Lebanese Muslim citizens to advocate on behalf of Lebanese and other Muslims in the Australian community. We have over 1100 financial members and over tens of thousands who use our facilities on festive occasions, many or our members…