Pressure builds on Prime Minister in Liberal heartland for the release of children from immigration detention

Yesterday the ASRC released poll data conducted by ReachTEL and commissioned by The Australian Institute, The poll showed that the majority of voters in the Prime Minister’s electorate believe women, children and families should be removed from detention in Nauru and processed in Australia.

The poll was taken in the electorates of Wentworth and North Sydney on 28 November 2015 and shows:

•  A majority of voters in the Wentworth electorate believe women, children and families should be removed from detention in Nauru and processed in Australia
• Supporters of asylum seekers being processed in Australia outnumbered opponents in the North Sydney electoate, with 48.6% supporting and 34% opposing

This polling underscores a growing shift in public attitude about the detention and treatment of children both on shore and on Nauru.

Maylynn Nunn and Danielle Austin both Wentworth constituents and mothers, are part of this majority.   With young children themselves, they feel very strongly about the impact of indefinite detention on children.

‘Each day I see my 1 year old daughter developing and growing.  How can we put children in detention when we know that it is harmful to them?  Prime Minister Mr Turnbull has the power to release children from detention and give them back their childhoods’ says Ms Nunn, Wentworth resident, 4 years.

‘In February Mr Turnbull said that one child in detention was too many, this gave me hope that if he came to power he would take a stand.  He hasn’t and this has disappointed me’ says Ms Austin, Wentworth resident, 6 years.

As Parliament rises for last time this year, Maylynn and Danielle are calling on their local member and Prime Minister to allow the Senate Amendments to Migration and Maritime Powers Amendment Bill to enter the House and to use his power to ensure they are accepted by his Government.

On Monday the 23^rd November the Greens, Labor and cross bench Senators passed Amendments to the Migration and Maritime Powers Amendment Bill 2015 which could see the release of 112 children from on shore immigration detention centres before Christmas.

Maylynn Nunn and Danielle Austin are available for interview. Contact: Gayle Carr, Community Engagement Manager, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre 0422903830.