MEDIA CONTACT: Lara McKinley
(03) 5442 1043 or 0429 911 322
email: lara_mckinley@bigpond.com

Press

Look on this page during the election campaign for Press Releases
about our activities, including candidate rankings.

Thursday October 7 th , 2004 - MEDIA RELEASE

Advertisements on children in detention in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

Advertisements drawing attention to the continued detention of children in Australia are appearing in The Age (full page) and Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday October 7 th in the lead up to the election.

Melbourne couple Margaret and Ben Lochtenberg paid for the advertisements to express their concern about Australia 's refugee policy. Drawing attention to the fact more then 80 children remain in detention, the ads encourage voters to support refugee friendly candidates on October 9.

The Lochtenbergs are working with The Justice Project, which has surveyed candidates in key electorates about their views on refugees and asylum seekers. The results can be found at www.thejusticeproject.com.au . The survey canvassed candidates in 34 electorates, 25 of them marginal. The major parties have also been ranked on refugee policy in the Senate.

"Australia 's treatment of refugees has got steadily worse since the first detention centre was opened in 1992. Locking up children is immoral.” Margaret Lochtenberg said today.

The Justice Project was founded by Malcolm Fraser, Julian Burnside and Hugh Evans (Young Australian of the Year) in June this year.

CHILDREN IN DETENTION FACT SHEET

Numbers of children in detention (under 18 years of age)

86 are held in various places of detention, of these 75 children are in locked facilities with guards. (Source: ChilOut. www.chilout.org/ 22 September 2004 )

Place of detention and nationality

Villawood 29 Chinese
Port Augusta 17 Chinese, Syrian
Nauru 16 Iraqi
Christmas Island 11 Vietnamese
Other detention* 11 Afghan
Baxter 1 Afghan
Maribyrnong 1 Iraqi
Unaccompanied 1 Ghanaian (in Villawood)

* As of 8 September 2004 , there are 11 Afghan children in Adelaide , their homes declared places of detention. All were removed from remote desert detention centres because of mental health problems.

(Source: ChilOut. www.chilout.org/ 22 September 2004 )

Overall numbers of children in detention

Between 1 July 1999 and 30 June 2003 , 2,184 children arrived in Australia without a valid visa and sought asylum – all these children were detained whilst their refugee status was determined.

More than 92% of these children were found to be refugees. For some nationalities the success rate was even higher - 98% of Iraqi children and 95% of Afghani children were granted protection.

(Source: “A last resort? A summary guide to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention” Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 2004)

Human costs children in detention

Mental health experts report that child detainees had experienced clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and various anxiety disorders. Symptoms included bed wetting, sleep walking and night terrors. Some children became mute, made suicide attempts and self-harmed.

(Source: “A last resort? A summary guide to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention” , Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2004 p. 31.)

Length of time children are held in detention

By the beginning of 2003, the average detention period for a child in detention was one year, three months and seven days. As at 26 December 2003 , the average length of detention had increased to one year, eight months and 11 days.

The longest a child has ever been held in detention is five years, five months and 20 days. This child and his mother were released from Port Hedland detention centre on 12 May 2000 , after eventually being assessed as refugees.

(Source: “A last resort? A summary guide to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention” , Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 2004.)

Wednesday 29th September 2004 - MEDIA RELEASE

Candidates in marginal seats across Australia have been ranked on their commitment to reforming Australia's refugee policy.

The rankings — issued by the Justice Project — are based on candidates' responses questionnaires that covered refugee policy and personal involvement with refugees and refugee issues. The responses were scored against The Justice Project's refugee policy.

Greens and Democrats consistently ranked highest in the seats, followed by Labor and independents. Only two Liberal/National candidates responded.

Justice Project spokesperson and prominent lawyer Julian Burnside QC said the rankings are expected to have a considerable impact, following media reports last week the Liberal Party could potentially lose Adelaide, Deakin and Wentworth and face a significant swing against them in other blue-ribbon seats as part of a backlash against their refugee policy.

Ranking cards for 35 electorates, including 24 marginal seats will be available on www.thejusticeproject.com.au from Wednesday September 29. A Senate ranking card which ranks the major parties according to their policies, has also been developed.

“Last election, the Coalition were happy to beat the drum about refugees and espouse a policy they said they were proud of. Clearly they are no longer proud of their policy and want to duck for cover,” Mr Burnside said.

"Sadly those within the Coalition who actually support refugee reform haven't had the courage of their convictions.”

50% of Labor candidates responded, with scores varying widely depending on the candidates.

"Those candidates who ranked highly on the questionnaire in many instances broke with Labor party policy, particularly on mandatory detention.”

They also showed a strong personal involvement with helping refugees and asylum seekers, Mr Burnside said.

“Many candidates, including most sitting Labor members were reluctant to discuss their policy and personal views on refugees. They may well be shooting themselves in the foot – refugee issues remain of deep concern with tens of thousands of voters.

"The rankings are clear. If people believe in a fair go, believe in helping others in need and treating them decently, then they will now be able to vote for a refugee-friendly candidate,” he said.

Grassroots groups campaigning for refugees in the individual electorates will distribute the ranking cards. This includes in shopping centres, train stations and on polling day.

Friday 3rd September 2004 - MEDIA RELEASE

CANDIDATES TO BE RANKED ACCORDING TO REFUGEE POLICY REFORM
Marginal seats front and centre in grassroots refugee campaign across Australia

Candidates in marginal seats across Australia are to be independently ranked according to their personal commitment to reforming Australia 's refugee policy.

The move comes as hundreds of grass-roots groups campaign on refugee issues in the upcoming Federal election.

The candidates' rankings will be derived from a questionnaire issued this week, according to Julian Burnside QC, prominent lawyer and spokesperson for The Justice Project, the group behind the initiative.

The results will be available on-line at www.thejusticeproject.com.au .

"If people believe in a fair go, believe in helping others in need and treating them decently, then they will now be able to vote for refugee-friendly candidates,” he said.

"The rankings will be clear. The issue can no longer be side-stepped with clever spin or deception,” Mr Burnside said.

The campaign builds on the very good work already done by refugee advocates in Australia and is non party-political, he added.

"Australians are now better informed about refugee issues and the refugee support network is much stronger than it was at the last election.”

Hundreds of volunteers from across Australia have signed up to question candidates and distribute the results in more than 45 marginal electorates.

The Justice Project will also provides material and in-kind resources for existing refugee support groups.