Responding to Immigration Minister Vanstone's announcement that some detainees may be released, James Thomson, refugee spokesperson for the National Council of Churches in Australia said it fell well short of expectations.
"The devil is in the detail of Cabinet's detention decision."
"While we are happy that some of Australia's longest serving detainees may finally be released, the announcement fails to give these people a future, some of whom are stateless and literally have no country willing to accept them."
"It does not create any limit to detention let alone the three-year limit proposed."
"It does not provide legal protection for stateless people, which under international law should be granted permanent residence, but under Australian law are subject to indefinite detention unless the Minister grants a visa. The Minister's powers are non-appealable and non-compellable and there is no public accountability or transparency regarding decision-making."
"Nor does it create any clarity as to whom exactly will qualify for release. It may only be a minority of high profile stateless detainees, such as Peter Qasim, who has been detained for nearly seven years. It is the Minister herself that must be satisfied that everything possible has been done to remove the person before they may qualify for release.
"Those released have no access to permanent visas so will still live in fear of being returned."
"They will have no family reunion or right to re-enter Australia if they leave so will have to give up any hope of protection in Australia if they want to see their family members."
"Last, but not least, Australia's system of mandatory, indefinite and non-reviewable detention remains in place awaiting more entrants."
"On the positive side, at least some of Australia's longest serving, and most scarred, detainees will not just be dumped in the community on release, but they will have access to essential services such as trauma and torture counselling, accommodation etc."
For further information, please contact James Thomson on 0402 67 55 44
