Search results

To those of you who have been following this Inquiry closely, it may be unclear as to why this hearing is taking place as I had said in December 2002 that those would be the last of the Inquiry's hearings. I will therefore briefly set out the history and methodology of the Inquiry to this point which will take us to why we are here today. I will then set out what steps remain to be completed after this hearing is concluded and prior to publication. Finally, I will set out the proposed procedure for today's hearing. Let us start with methodology of the Inquiry to date.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires Australia to protect children's rights to cultural identity, language and religion. The most effective way of ensuring enjoyment of these rights is to encourage and allow refugee and asylum-seeking children to participate in cultural and religious activities in the community. The Australian community is well equipped to respond to this need as a wide range of cultural and religious opportunities are readily accessible and this remains a key factor in the maintenance of our multicultural society.

1. Save the Children Save the Children is the world's largest independent child development organisation, with 32 member countries and programs in over 100 countries. Save the Children works for:

For further information contact: Damian Griffis Senior Policy Officer - Systemic Advocacy People with Disabilities (NSW) Inc PO Box 666 STRAWBERRY HILLS NSW 2012 Telephone: (02) 9319 6622 Facsimile: (02) 9318 1372 Email: damiang@pwd.org.au

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

Australia is a signatory to a number of International Conventions, which are relevant to mandatory detention of children in Australia’s immigration detention centres. Under International law, each of the conventions that Australia has ratified is binding on the Australian state, which is obliged to bring its domestic laws into conformity with their stipulations. In Australia, International Conventions do not have legal force in domestic law, and cannot be directly applied by the domestic courts in Australia, unless the Australian Parliament enacts them into legislation.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that around half of the 50 million displaced persons in the world are children. Around 10 million of these children are under the care of UNHCR. Approximately 100,000 separated children roam Western Europe.(1) During 1999 alone, more than 20,000 separated children applied for asylum in Western Europe, North America or Australia.(2) Of those 20,000 unaccompanied children, 46 travelled to Australia to seek asylum. In the same year a further 202 children sought asylum in Australia with their families.(3)

Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) is the national professional organisation for Australian nurses. The College was established in 1949 and until the early 1990's was a provider of formal ongoing education for nurses who wished to gain higher qualifications in nursing. Following the completion of the transfer of nursing to the higher education sector in 1993, the College refocused its functions to become the national professional organisation for Australian nurses.

Artwork Submitted to the Inquiry The following poems and drawings were submitted to the inquiry. Click on the images below to view larger versions. 1. Drawings provided by a child who has been in detention at Port Hedland IRPC for 22 months. 2. Two poems and a drawing provided by the mother of a child at Woomera IRPC Click here to read: Just for Australian Kind People (1) and Just for Australian ...

This Office issued a formal report on Immigration Detention Centres in March 2001 which contained a number of recommendations to DIMIA for improvements in arrangements for children. The investigation was conducted following complaints and a number of reported incidents including escapes and allegations of assault on detainees. It revealed evidence at every immigration detention facility of self-harm, damage to property, fights and assaults which suggested that there were systemic deficiencies in the management of detainees, including women and children.

Introduction Background Health Schooling Shelter Food/nutrition Transport Interpreters Language Social Support Maternity Recommendations Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Appendix 5

Inquiry Homepage | Submissions to the Inquiry | Hearing Dates and Transcripts | Terms of Reference | Background Papers National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention - Media Releases 2005 Enough is enough - a time to review immigration detention (12 May 2005) HREOC welcomes independent inquiry into circumstances surrounding Ms Rau's detention (7 February 2005) 2004 A day to celebrate ...

Submissions to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention

This submission draws substantially on research papers by Eileen Pittaway and Linda Bartolomei which are currently pending publication. The content of this submission may not be reproduced or quoted without the written permission of these authors.

The National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention refers to 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:

Staff in the Social Policy and Advocacy Research Centre, and the Youth Studies Flagship at the Australian Catholic University welcome the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's initiative in establishing an inquiry into children in Australia's immigration detention centres.

1 To promote public support, both within Australia and internationally, for the improvement in the well-being and status of women and the development of reproductive health in families and individuals by means including-