Children should be released from detention, not bargained away

Hundreds of children locked away in detention are being used as bargaining chips as the Government continues to furiously lobby cross-bench Senators to pass its cruel migration laws.

“Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is telling Senators that he will release 460 children from detention instead of sending them to Nauru, if his Bill is passed,” ASRC CEO Kon Karapanagiotidis said today.

“This is nothing more than blackmail.  He can take children out of detention at any time.  He has had over a year to do it.

“Instead, he has kept children locked in detention for record periods of time, causing them profound damage, as he relentlessly pursues harmful Temporary Protection Visas for refugees and unlimited, unchecked power for himself.

“He is then bargaining their lives away – releasing some when it’s politically expedient, while condemning others to spend their childhoods locked away.

“This is how low he’s prepared to go to get his cruel Bill passed, which is nothing more than a shameless grab for sweeping powers and an attempt to avoid the High Court and shred the rule of law.

“But the tide is turning and more and more Australians are standing up to his cruel ways and saying enough’s enough.

“We urge Senators to call Morrison’s bluff and reject his Faustian bargain.

“We call on them to stand up to protect children by demanding their immediate release from detention – no strings attached – and voting no to Morrison’s cruel bill, which will see people returned to harm and deliver a scary amount of power into his hands.”

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