Baby Asha

[dreamer_easy]

She and her family are now in community detention, assuaging my fears that the government was going to promise one thing and do the other. It's still only temporary safety; Peter Dutton vows Baby Asha will be returned to Nauru, and also refuses New Zealand's offer to take our asylum seekers, on the grounds that this would create a "back door" to Australia. I am sceptical; surely it would be possible to pass a law that such refugees could not subsequently emigrate here (though why they would want to, I have no idea).

AMA President Brian Owler lashes Department of Immigration over health services to asylum seekers (SMH, 21 February 2016) Terrible stories from Nauru at the AMA's Sunday meeting, including a six-year-old girl who tried to hang herself. One doctor said: "There is a dark chilling feeling when you go to Nauru of lawlessness. Guards can behave as inappropriately as they wish because there are no repercussions for their actions."

Comments

[hnpcc]

Words are seriously failing me with this government. Every time I think things can't get worse they pick up a shovel.

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

I can't help feeling that caving in on Baby Asha is a major setback for them, and they're flailing. Hope so, anyway.

[hnpcc]

Dear God I hope so, although I find that my facebook feed divides into "let them stay" and "what about the homeless/veterans/farmers/unemployed/indigenous Australians/anyone else[1] - the government should look after them first"[2].

This really is the children overboard scandal mark II - I cannot fucking believe Dutton just implicitly accused the parents of deliberately burning their child. I mean... I just cannot deal with this government. God I hope that every single electorate mounts a bloody good challenge against them and the ALP.

Based solely on their economic performance and apparent lack of understanding of basic economics I wish they'd get voted out, but hey, ideology rules.

More seriously it actually scares me the path that we're on - my sister works with a human rights group, and it's occurred to both of us that if things keep going along this path she - and my brother-in-law, and my nieces - are likely in danger. And yes, that scares me a lot. This government really does not respect human rights.

[1] noticeable omissions are the disabled and mentally ill who aren't veterans. Interesting, now that I think about it.
[2] And look there is some value in asking why these groups arent' being better catered for while Gina et al are getting tax concessions galore.

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

I'm in a good situation, thank heavens, but from time to time I get a sharp reminder that sickos and mentals like me are disposable to government like this.

Jon and I recently crushed a "what about child abuse / domestic violence" commenter in FB. Each time I was pleased to point out how much money could be spent on those issues if we weren't spending it on torturing babies.