Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I am disappointed that the government have not signed the optional protocol as yet. There seems to be no excuse as to why not. I would hope that in their discussions they are indeed speaking with the very children whose rights are being violated. They, of course, are the 500 or so children who remain under the legal guardianship of the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen. If this protocol were to be signed, they would be able to complain directly to the UN and have them investigate whether the immigration minister is indeed upholding his duty of care to the very same people for whom he is both the jailer and the legal guardian.