The Human Rights Commission has found that some children held in Australia's immigration detention centres have been exposed to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.After a two-year inquiry, the commission's report was tabled in Parliament today.
The report says children detained for long periods are at high risk of serious mental harm and the Government's failure to heed the concerns of mental health workers about some particular children is inhumane.
It recommends all children in detention be released within a month.
But Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone has rejected that, saying it would send a dangerous message to people smugglers.
"What it says to people smugglers is that if you bring children, you'll be able to be out in the community very quickly," she said.
She says the report is disappointing but Labor's Stephen Smith has seized on it. "It's a damning indictment of the Government's policy and its administration," he said.
He says Labor has long promised to release all children from detention.
The children's refugee advocacy group Chil-Out has welcomed the report.
Dianne Hiles says the Government cannot reject its findings.
"It can't dismiss it, it's our national human rights watchdog, it is set up exactly to draw attention to this sort of situation where we have a flawed policy that is causing harm and is in breach of human rights," he said.
By Paramount Welfare 14 May 04
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