Doctors and psychiatrists who worked in Australian run detention centres have joined forces to speak out against the ongoing detention of hundreds of children.
The four doctors were all involved in the Australian Human Right’s Commission’s inquiry into children in detention, which was tabled in parliament on Wednesday and paints a devastating picture of the harm mandatory detention does to children.
In a short but powerful video produced by advocacy group GetUp!, the doctors explain why they have been forced to speak out about the practice.
Included among the group is doctor Peter Young, who formerly worked as the Director of Mental Health Services at IHMS, a major company contracted to provide health services in detention centres.
In July last year, Dr Young gave evidence that while serving in the role, Department of Immigration officials requested IHMS staff change an internal document to hide the high rates of self-harm among asylum seekers in detention.
According to the latest Department of Immigration statistics, 119 children remain detained on Nauru, while 211 are being held in onshore facilities.
The Commission’s report was particularly damning in regards to the conditions on Christmas Island and Nauru, but made clear that even the higher quality centres in Australia are inflicting potentially irreversible damage on children.
Like GetUp!, asylum seeker advocacy group the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre have also produced a video to accompany the report's release.
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