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

I rise to add my contribution to this debate, one that goes to the heart of decisions pending for the Prime Minister, Malcom Turnbull. Since taking over the leadership, there has been expectation and anticipation that perhaps we would see a change from the new Prime Minister, a departure from the harsh, cruel and blunt ways and policies of the previous Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. When it comes to the issue of children in detention, I am very, very interested in watching and listening to precisely what this Prime Minister does in this regard.

Today, as I stand here, there are 90 children in Australia who are anxiously waiting on the results of a High Court decision to be handed down tomorrow. The reason they are waiting anxiously for this decision is that only two weeks ago the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, directly threatened these children. He said that if these children and their families lose the High Court case tomorrow, they will be sent back to the hellhole of Nauru. These are children, many of whom have been transferred to Australia because of the damage that has been done to them in detention on Nauru; women who have been subjected to sexual abuse and assault that we know has occurred inside the Nauru detention centre and on that island—it is well documented by numerous reports, including the government's own Moss review; and children who have been subjected to abuse, intimidation and violence at the Nauru detention camp.

For example, a five-year-old boy, who was sexually assaulted and abused in Nauru, was sent to Australia to get the appropriate medical assistance. That boy's life now hangs in the balance as to whether he will be deported to Nauru, back to the place where he suffered such abuse and such inhumane treatment, or whether the Prime Minister will do the right thing and override his minister's call? Will Malcolm Turnbull stand up to Peter Dutton and ensure that this four-year-old-boy and the other 90 children here in Australia are not sent back to the detention centre and the prison island that is Nauru?

Many people have been watching and waiting for Malcolm Turnbull to show more compassion or empathy on this issue. Many have been waiting for him to stick by what he previously said which was that he did not believe that children belong in immigration detention. Well, this is the big test for Malcolm Turnbull tomorrow

His minister says these families and these children will be on the next plane to Nauru. Will Malcolm Turnbull let him be that cruel or will he step in and save them from that awful fate?

Only 2½ or three weeks ago I visited a family in Melbourne who had been transferred from Nauru to Australia because of the very, very severe impacts on their mental health as a result of their indefinite detention. They had been in detention on Nauru for two years. Their baby was born here in Australia. She is now almost one year old. That family are now going to sleep tonight with the fear that if the High Court case fails they will be sent back to living hell.

I find it extraordinary that we have a Prime Minister who talks about not wanting to see children in detention and talks about a fair and compassionate society. How can he stand there tomorrow and allow these families to be deported? Hundreds and thousands of people across the country today—as they will be tomorrow—are calling for the Prime Minister to do the right thing, and I hope that he does.