The Refugee Action Coalition is calling on the Immigration Minister to immediately halt the imminent transfer of five families from Inverbrackie to Christmas Island.
Five families (including three from Iran, one Rohingyan) in Inverbrackie have been told today that they will be returned to Christmas Island tomorrow (ie Thursday 7 August). One of the women being transferred has to use a wheel chair because of a chronic medical problem with her back.
There are eight children in the family groups – aged from seven weeks to four years-old; three of the children have been born in Adelaide.
“It is criminal that the government intends to transfer these families to Christmas Island, “said Ian Rintoul, spokesperson for the Refugee Action Coalition.
“The revelations from the Human Rights Commission enquiry have shown the conditions on Christmas Island are unfit for families. The Minister is creating a revolving door of sick families and children – a conveyor belt of mistreatment.
“Since the crisis of self-harm and attempted suicide in the Christmas Island family camp over the past couple of weeks, several families have been moved from Christmas Island to Darwin, Inverbrackie and Melbourne. Now the Minister is sending families back to the conditions that created their heath problems in the first place.
“The families are the victims of the punitive policies being implemented by the Coalition government and an unfeeling bureaucracy.
“We are asking the Minister to stop these transfers and bring all the families from Christmas Island to the mainland where they can be properly cared for. Christmas Island must be closed.
For more information contact Ian Rintoul mob 0417 275 713.
