Quite an expected result when you lock people up indefinitely. Convicted rapists spend less time in detention.

I don't know if I trust a guy who wrote a book and is running for parliament as well. I suppose if he wrote "refugees really enjoy their time on Nauru" probably wouldn't expect to sell many copies.

If advocates have any substantive evidence of "brutalisation" of refugees then they should present this evidence to the public. So far all we hear are rumours, hearsay, clandestine meetings behind sleeping security guards, people supposedly too scared to front the media and all of this apparently points of widespread, systematic brutalisation and torture of refugees. I'm not doubting there are instances of assault, self harm etc but the doom and gloom narrative I think is just fodder for advocates to push their political agenda. Unlike some of the cynics I trust the government does an effective job of monitoring conditions and a isolated incidents of abuse doesn't change the fact that the policy is extremely successful.

I agree 100%. However, they can't because the current govt passed a law which makes this a criminal act.

"Doctors and teachers working in immigration detention facilities could face up to two years in prison if they speak out against conditions in the centres or provide information to journalists, under sweeping new laws to gag whistleblowers.

The Border Force Act, which was passed quietly on May 14 by both major parties, clamps down on "entrusted people" in detention centres recording or disclosing information about conditions in centres such as those on Nauru and Manus Island".

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/doctors-and-teachers-gagged-under-new-immigration-laws-20150603-ghft05.html#ixzz4CBT9Dvbq

Why is the government trying to keep conditions in offshore detention secret?

It can only be because they know that there are things going on which the public would be disgusted by.

I think these women are at risk from other locked up asylum seekers, but also from guards, and outside 3rd parties.

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/1524_statement.pdf

"While the Government will take action to protect operationally sensitive information, such as
personal information or information which compromises the operational effectiveness or response
of our officers, the airing of general claims about conditions in immigration facilities will not breach
the ABF Act"

"It will seek to investigate leaks of operationally
sensitive information, however the public can be assured that it will not prevent people from
speaking out about conditions in immigration detention facilities."

We need to drop the BS law regarding speaking out about conditions which has been imposed on detention centre employees and we need to have an independent overseer, not responsible to the government to report on issues factually, rather than sensationally.

Manus Island security is huge (and expensive). How can Nauru have literally no security? It's a joke.

Except that those words "operational matters" can be interpreted broadly.

Clearly there is a problem with the way the legislation is written, no matter what policy statements the govt puts out.

]

It can also be interpreted narrowly as well. Any journalist who exposes government perpetuated abuse on Nauru or PNG, far from being jailed, would receive all kinds of accolades and awards.

You have remarkable faith in the whims of the govt.

It's bad legislation, and has no purpose other than trying to silence people.

"Libertarian"

Trying to silence people often just makes them louder.
If there's serious abuse being perpetrated on Manus and Nauru this would come out one way or another.

I just don't think despite all the dog whistling it's as a bad as advocates are making out.

The information is coming out. You are just choosing not to accept it.

Bahahahahaha! That is phenomenal!

I accept there are incidents of abuse on Manus and Nauru, I don't accept that the solution is to close down these facilitates and bring everyone to Australia, which is want the advcoates. Notice the advocates dont say "improve facilities on Manus" they say "shut them down"

I was tempted to give him a vote in my below the line preferences :lol:

You don't have to pick one extreme over the other.

I get that it is complicated. But we have created camps run by private companies, with no transparency or adequate oversight.

There is no need for us to create so much misery that people feel like they need to self immolate!

You're right , it's complex. I dont think we're responsible for these isolated incidents of self immolation, or the conditions are that bad to warrant self harm. The Australian government is honouring its commitment to the refugee convention and providing free health, housing, education to asylum seekers, our obligations simply dont extend to resettling them on shore.

These people are obviously desperate to come to Australia and are being fed false hope by unscrupulous advocates who bemoan when an asylum seeker self harms but shrug their shoulders when a boat load full of people sinks.

Says you!

I think any situation that drives multiple people to self-immolate, given that it is such a rare phenomenon, must have deep-seated issues.

Never mind the children that have tried to kill themselves.

The fact is the media blackout leads to speculation.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely - having no level of oversight or transparency no doubt leads to abuse.

Your constant cynicism of anything vaguely critical of the govt, yet wholehearted acceptance of whatever the govt says, is laughable.

"isolated acts of self-immolation" - stated like it is a fairly common occurrence, and not something indicative of extreme circumstances!

I understand your position but there are no easy fixes. If we go soft on borders and allow asylum seekers to dictate the terms on which and where they resettle it will lend itself to further manipulation of government by people smugglers, advocates and asylum seekers in the future, which will lead to boats restarting, thousands of deaths at sea and a dogs breakfast of our borders again. No advocate has ever addressed the tragedy of deaths at sea, it's like tumbleweed blowing in the wind, they don't give a shit. I suppose their skills are worthless to dead people.

I'm all for fixing issues on Manus and Nauru if there are genuine issues there but under no circumstances should they be allowed to resettle in Australia. Transparency isn't a huge issue as far as I'm concerned because I trust the job the government is doing and if there were serious, widespread, ongoing issues these would come out one way or another.

Once again I acknowledge there have been issues on Nauru and PNG but this mantra that everyone is depressed and on the verge of killing themselves is BS.

So he Clive didn't recruit him for his footballs prowess:lol:

and turnbull's had a go at eddie mcguire too



FLAGELLATION!

Free speech?

http://gu.com/p/4m87q/au

The trauma specialist who condemned the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia’s offshore detention regime as the worst “atrocity” he has seen has had his contract to work on Nauru terminated.

"I do have a political agenda, and I don't hide it"

Says it all really, two weeks out from an election in which he is running.

Interesting that all thosewere resettled in Cambodia have since returned to their home countries, apparently preferring persecution than living in a free country.

I love reading all the concern about refugees and the bleeding hearts without them even achknowledging the fact that if Australia is weak on illegal immigration, it will once again open the flood gates to 50,000 illegals per year, the re-opening the 14 detention centres that have been closed down leaving only 3 in operation, and quite possible hundreds of drownings at sea.

It just goes to show, that the bleeding hearts just don't care about little children drowning at sea. :lol:

That old man preaching about Love and Tolerance really made me laugh when Turnbull told him that they do love the refugees and need to look after their lives from dangerous crossings and drowings at sea. :lol:

Edited by Aikhme: 22/6/2016 11:09:25 AM

Love is blind. Such caring, compassionate people can't see the brutal consequences of their actions, only their beautiful intentions.

This shocking Medicare privitisation lie Labor is truly unprecedented.
They are really scraping the bottom of the barrel, targeting people who are mostly disinterested and ignorant of politics to frighten them into voting Labor, based on a complete confected scare campaign. Politics is dismal most of the time but this is certainly a new low and a reveals a disturbing lack of morality among Labors ranks.

Says the person ignoring how shite imprisoning these people indefinitely is.......

Nobody is being imprisoned. They are free to roam around the island or return to their home country. If they dont like those options there should also be an option to resettle in an alternative country, like Cambodia.

Or they just want to post on Facebook their social justice warrior outlooks and feel all good about it with high fives and who cares if 1200 people drown at sea! :lol: