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.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/22/release-footage-distressed-asylum-seekers
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Release of footage of distressed asylum seekers angers advocates | Release of footage of distressed asylum seekers angers advocates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Asylum seeker advocates have condemned the Australian government for releasing pictures of a group of Iranians apparently distraught at being told they will never be allowed to settle in Australia under new immigration rules. | Asylum seeker advocates have condemned the Australian government for releasing pictures of a group of Iranians apparently distraught at being told they will never be allowed to settle in Australia under new immigration rules. |
| The photographs and videos – which are blurred to preserve individuals' identities – show some of the 81 Iranian people whose boat was intercepted by Australian customs north of Christmas Island on Saturday morning, the minister for home affairs, Jason Clare, told Guardian Australia. | The photographs and videos – which are blurred to preserve individuals' identities – show some of the 81 Iranian people whose boat was intercepted by Australian customs north of Christmas Island on Saturday morning, the minister for home affairs, Jason Clare, told Guardian Australia. |
| They include a photograph of a woman crying, with head in hands, captioned: "A female asylum seeker comes to terms with the fact she won't be settled in Australia." | They include a photograph of a woman crying, with head in hands, captioned: "A female asylum seeker comes to terms with the fact she won't be settled in Australia." |
| Pamela Curr, campaigns co-ordinator for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, was disgusted by the news release. "It seems that the government and the [immigration] department are reading that the Australian people want them to act in a cruel and abusive way towards asylum seekers, and that they'll be greeted with acclaim for doing so," she told Guardian Australia. | Pamela Curr, campaigns co-ordinator for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, was disgusted by the news release. "It seems that the government and the [immigration] department are reading that the Australian people want them to act in a cruel and abusive way towards asylum seekers, and that they'll be greeted with acclaim for doing so," she told Guardian Australia. |
| After undergoing health checks at Christmas Island, the 81 passengers will now be transferred to Papua New Guinea under the new regional agreement announced by Kevin Rudd on Friday afternoon. They were apparently told of the new arrangement at Christmas Island's North West Point immigration detention centre. | After undergoing health checks at Christmas Island, the 81 passengers will now be transferred to Papua New Guinea under the new regional agreement announced by Kevin Rudd on Friday afternoon. They were apparently told of the new arrangement at Christmas Island's North West Point immigration detention centre. |
| A spokeswoman for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship told Guardian Australia the department routinely put up photographs of asylum seeker arrivals, and the decision to release these pictures was not because they were the first group to be processed under the new government policy. The department confirmed the captions were accurate. | A spokeswoman for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship told Guardian Australia the department routinely put up photographs of asylum seeker arrivals, and the decision to release these pictures was not because they were the first group to be processed under the new government policy. The department confirmed the captions were accurate. |
| The news release was headlined: "81 Iranians get the new message: you will not settle in Australia." | The news release was headlined: "81 Iranians get the new message: you will not settle in Australia." |
| In an accompanying video, Diac's acting regional manager, Steven Karras, said the message given to the asylum seekers that they would never be settled in Australia under the new arrangement was "quite clear" and had "probably sunk in a bit". "I think in fact over the coming days … they will start to contemplate very seriously whether in fact returning home is a better option," he said. | In an accompanying video, Diac's acting regional manager, Steven Karras, said the message given to the asylum seekers that they would never be settled in Australia under the new arrangement was "quite clear" and had "probably sunk in a bit". "I think in fact over the coming days … they will start to contemplate very seriously whether in fact returning home is a better option," he said. |
| Diac confirmed under the new arrangement no assessments have been made of the asylum seekers' claims, so it is not known what situation they would be returning to. | Diac confirmed under the new arrangement no assessments have been made of the asylum seekers' claims, so it is not known what situation they would be returning to. |
| Immigration minister Tony Burke, who on Monday said under the new rules failed asylum seekers will face the choice of staying in indefinite detention in PNG or travelling back to a country where they have right of residence, has been contacted for comment. | |
| The new arrangement, signed by Rudd and PNG prime minister Peter O'Neill, stipulates that no asylum seekers who arrive by boat will have a chance of being settled in Australia. Instead they will be processed on Manus Island, and if found to be refugees, settled in PNG. | The new arrangement, signed by Rudd and PNG prime minister Peter O'Neill, stipulates that no asylum seekers who arrive by boat will have a chance of being settled in Australia. Instead they will be processed on Manus Island, and if found to be refugees, settled in PNG. |
| . | . |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday. |