Doctors, clergy in asylum rally

A group of Geraldton doctors and religious leaders have called on the Federal Member for Durack to urge her colleagues to keep asylum seekers in Australia, following a High Court ruling that offshore processing was constitutional.

Last week’s verdict paves the way for the Federal Government to deport any asylum seekers, including children, currently in Australia to offshore processing centres on Manus Island and Nauru.

Speaking at a rally outside Geraldton Courthouse yesterday, Mid West general physician Charlie Greenfield said he was disappointed with the ruling because it meant the government would most likely return children to unhealthy conditions overseas.

“I am saddened by the decision because it means children will be returned back to conditions which have been severely criticised by doctors, psychiatrists and other healthcare workers, along with worldwide condemnation from agencies caring for migrants and refugees,” he said.

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Bishop Justin Bianchini from the Diocese of Geraldton also called on the Government to end offshore processing.

“The Catholic Bishops of Australia, in all their dealings with the Federal Government, have spoken out strongly against children in detention, off-shore detention and unreasonably long periods of time for the processing of applications for Visas,” Bishop Bianchini said.

“There are so many detrimental effects in these situations, to the psychological, emotional and physical wellbeing of these people, especially children.”

In a statement, the Federal Member for Durack Melissa Price blamed previous Labor government policy for putting children in detention and said the Federal government would consider the judgment and its implications carefully.

“When Labor took over from the Howard Government there were no children in detention,” she said.

“Within five years the number grew to 2000 children in detention at its peak.

“The Government was elected to stop the boats and we have worked hard to process families.

"There are now less than 80 children in detention and the Minister is working to reduce this number to zero – the remaining cases are our hardest.”