This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/30/senior-doctors-around-australia-hold-protest-against-children-in-detention

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Senior doctors around Australia hold protest against children in detention Healthcare workers around Australia protest against 'child abuse' of detention
(about 2 hours later)
Senior doctors and other healthcare workers from hospitals in Sydney, Adelaide, Darwin, Brisbane and Newcastle are protesting against the detention of children in immigration. Senior doctors and other healthcare workers from hospitals in Sydney, Adelaide, Darwin, Brisbane and Newcastle have protested against children being kept in immigration detention.
It follows a similar protest almost three weeks ago by staff at the Royal Children’s hospital in Melbourne, who stood outside their workplace with a banner declaring “Detention harms children”. More than 1,000 health professionals and their supporters gathered outside hospitals to press the government to remove the children and their families, which one doctor called “child abuse”.
The protest on Friday was supported by the hospital’s board. Speakers at the rallies, many of whom had experience treating asylum seeker and refugee families, said the effects of detention on children were devastating.“Keeping children in prolonged detention, without them knowing what’s happening to them, is child abuse,” paediatrician David Isaacs, from Sydney’s Westmead children’s hospital said.
“These are people who are already traumatised. They’re fleeing persecution.
“We compound that by putting them in indefinite detention for very long periods.”Associate Professor Karen Zwi, from Sydney children’s hospital, said anxiety, bed-wetting, nightmares and poor sleep were common among the more than 200 children still in immigration detention.
“In the extreme cases, children are self harming and attempting suicide,” she said.
She said at an average of 417 days, children were being held in detention centres for too long.
A similar protest was held almost three weeks ago by staff at the Royal Children’s hospital in Melbourne, who stood outside their workplace with a banner declaring “Detention harms children”.
Related: Protesting doctors refuse to say if they would discharge children into detentionRelated: Protesting doctors refuse to say if they would discharge children into detention
Prof David Isaacs is a consultant paediatrician at the Children’s hospital at Westmead, in Sydney’s west, and assesses and treats child asylum seekers and refugees. He told Guardian Australia he was rallying his colleagues to protest. Earlier Isaacs told Guardian Australia the recent change of prime ministership had made no difference to the children’s situation.
“I’m hoping we’ll get about 1,000 people outside the hospital, and we are going to stand out the front with a placard similar to the one used in Melbourne,” he said.
“While the rhetoric has changed towards asylum seekers under the new prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and has softened somewhat, we don’t see any sign that the current government wants to get any children out of detention.“While the rhetoric has changed towards asylum seekers under the new prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and has softened somewhat, we don’t see any sign that the current government wants to get any children out of detention.
“We want to increase the pressure. And we won’t stop with this protest. We will make noise until the detention of children ends.”“We want to increase the pressure. And we won’t stop with this protest. We will make noise until the detention of children ends.”
Isaacs is soon to have a paper published in a renowned international medical journal that will say the detention of children constitutes torture.Isaacs is soon to have a paper published in a renowned international medical journal that will say the detention of children constitutes torture.
He is treating a three-year-old – originally from Iran and detained in the Villawood detention centre – for tuberculosis. Once the treatment ends the boy will be sent with his parents to Nauru offshore processing centre, Isaacs said. He is treating a three-year-old – originally from Iran and detained in the Villawood detention centre – for tuberculosis. Once the treatment ends the boy would be sent with his parents to Nauru offshore processing centre, Isaacs said.
“It’s an awful thing to do, and I have no power over his situation, none, even though I recommended to the immigration minister that he be allowed to stay,” Isaacs said. He has spent time on Nauru.“It’s an awful thing to do, and I have no power over his situation, none, even though I recommended to the immigration minister that he be allowed to stay,” Isaacs said. He has spent time on Nauru.
“Every time he comes to see me at my clinic he is accompanied by two guards. And when his treatment is finished, his parents will be handcuffed in the middle of the night and sent back to Nauru.“Every time he comes to see me at my clinic he is accompanied by two guards. And when his treatment is finished, his parents will be handcuffed in the middle of the night and sent back to Nauru.
“I’ve been told by the department of immigration that Nauru is the most appropriate placement for him.”“I’ve been told by the department of immigration that Nauru is the most appropriate placement for him.”
Related: Australia's bid for the UN human rights council was conceived in a parallel universe | Richard AcklandRelated: Australia's bid for the UN human rights council was conceived in a parallel universe | Richard Ackland
Sydney Children’s hospital, the Women and Children’s hospital in Adelaide, the Royal Darwin hospital, Newcastle hospital and Lady Cilento Children’s hospital in Brisbane were also taking part in the protest, Isaacs said. Among the other hospitals where staff protested were the Women and Children’s hospital in Adelaide, the Royal Darwin hospital, Newcastle hospital and Lady Cilento children’s hospital in Brisbane.
The Greens immigration spokeswoman, Sarah Hanson-Young, praised the doctors. The Greens immigration spokeswoman, Sarah Hanson-Young, praised the medical staff.
“These doctors and nurses should be congratulated for trying to protect the hundreds of children that are still locked up in Australia and on Nauru,” she said.“These doctors and nurses should be congratulated for trying to protect the hundreds of children that are still locked up in Australia and on Nauru,” she said.
“There is no question that locking children in immigration detention destroys them both mentally and physically. Locking up people who are seeking asylum and robbing young boys and girls of their childhood is not what we, as a caring people, should be doing.”“There is no question that locking children in immigration detention destroys them both mentally and physically. Locking up people who are seeking asylum and robbing young boys and girls of their childhood is not what we, as a caring people, should be doing.”