Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton have just reopened the detention centre on remote Christmas Island, using the excuse of needing to move immigration detainees from COVID-19 hotspots. Yet they have refused to release refugees from detention during the pandemic, despite prisons and detention centres being recognised as high-risk environments.
For the last year the Tamil family from Biloela have been the only people detained in the centre, after it was reopened in a publicity stunt before the last election. Christmas Island has a horrific reputation as the “worst of the worst” of Australia’s refugee detention centres, and a punishment centre designed to break people. Join us to hear firsthand what has gone on there and to discuss how we can fight to end detention and free the refugees.
Vote on mobile ban in detention likely in Senate today
The Morrison government is pushing to ban mobile phones in detention, threatening to cut off a vital lifeline to family, legal support and friends for refugees and others in immigration detention. This disgraceful move is designed to silence refugees inside detention and detention hotels, and stop them exposing horrendous conditions and ongoing protests in detention. In the context of the often hopeless hygiene and COVID safe provisions this puts refugees in more danger.
Refugee advocacy organisations have been intensively lobbying Senators. The vote in the Senate is scheduled for today and comes down to which way Jaqui Lambie votes.
