This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-31596727

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Australia investigates detention centre abuse reports Australia investigates detention centre abuse reports
(about 9 hours later)
Australia is investigating 44 allegations of sexual abuse of asylum seekers in detention centres.Australia is investigating 44 allegations of sexual abuse of asylum seekers in detention centres.
Immigration official Ken Douglas told a senate committee that some of these cases involve children but could not say how many. Immigration official Ken Douglas told a senate committee that some of these cases involved detainees' children.
Local media say that the claims cover a period from January 2013 to July 2014. The inquiry follows the publication of a report earlier this month by the Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) which condemned their treatment.
Immigration Department Secretary Michael Pezzullo said on Tuesday that 126 children were still in immigration detention. On Tuesday Australia's prime minister launched a scathing attack on that report, lashing out at the HRC head.
Speaking at a senate committee hearing in Canberra, he said that fewer than 20 of these children were facing long-term detention. Tony Abbott told parliament that the government had lost confidence in Gillian Triggs, calling the report a "political stitch-up" and the attorney-general admitted that she had earlier been asked to resign.
"There are 19 children in families where there are law enforcement or national security issues pertaining to an adult relative," he said according to the News Corp website. Local media say that the claims of sexual abuse being investigated cover a period from January 2013 to July 2014.
Mr Pezzullo added that he had ordered an examination of all of the incidents involving the alleged abuse of children dating back to 2008. Immigration Department Secretary Michael Pezzullo said it was not possible to say how many of the 44 allegations involved children, but the senate committee heard that there had been 19 reported cases of sexual assault at the Nauru Island detention facility over the past two years, according to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Five of those involved children.
Sexual assault One of those who has reported abuse on Nauru, a 16-year-old girl, is currently in hospital after throwing herself off a balcony.
Earlier, local media reported that the immigration department said that some of the 44 allegations of sexual abuse at detention centres involved children. The department figures comes less than two weeks after the HRC released its report which detailed 33 incidents of reported sexual assault, most involving children, from January 2013 to March 2014 in Australia's detention centres.
Mr Douglas was quoted by ABC News as saying that they "represent sexual assaults involving a minor, to a minor or in a detention facility in which a minor was accommodated". But speaking of the HRC report, Mr Abbott argued that it should have been released under the previous government, when more children were held in detention.
He added that at this time it was not possible to determine whether all of the reports related to minors or not. "It's too political to have an inquiry into children in detention when there is 1,400 of them but it's not too political to do it when the number is under 200," he said, referring to the drop in detainees under his administration.
The senate committee also heard that there had been 19 reported cases of sexual assault at the Nauru Island detention facility over the past two years, according to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. Five of them involved children. "It's absolutely crystal clear this inquiry by the president of the Human Rights Commission is a political stitch-up," he said of commission president Ms Triggs, a respected international lawyer.
"This government has lost confidence in the president of the Human Rights Commission."
Attorney-General George Brandis admitted to the Senate that Ms Triggs had been asked to resign earlier this year and offered another job instead.
"I had reached the conclusion, sadly, that Professor Triggs should consider her position... I am afraid that the reputation of the commission will not survive the reputation of political partisanship, which I am sorry to say Professor Triggs [has]."
Ms Trigg told the hearing that she had been "very shaken and shocked" by the request.
Forgotten children
The News Corp website reported that Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash had told the committee that the government was doing everything possible to remove children from detention facilities.The News Corp website reported that Assistant Immigration Minister Michaelia Cash had told the committee that the government was doing everything possible to remove children from detention facilities.
Successive Australian governments have been heavily criticised over their harsh asylum policies, under which asylum seekers are detained for long periods in offshore camps while their applications are processed.Successive Australian governments have been heavily criticised over their harsh asylum policies, under which asylum seekers are detained for long periods in offshore camps while their applications are processed.
Australia currently detains all asylum seekers who arrive by boat, holding them in offshore processing camps. Those found to be refugees will not be permanently resettled in Australia.Australia currently detains all asylum seekers who arrive by boat, holding them in offshore processing camps. Those found to be refugees will not be permanently resettled in Australia.
Forgotten children The HRC report, entitled The Forgotten Children, said a third of detained children had developed mental illnesses of such severity that they required psychiatric treatment.
The allegations of sexual assault come less than two weeks after a report by the Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) which condemned the current treatment of children of asylum seekers. It said that detaining children violated international human rights law, and called for their immediate release.
The report, entitled The Forgotten Children, said a third of detained children have developed mental illnesses of such severity that they required psychiatric treatment.
The HRC said that detaining children violates international human rights law, and called for their immediate release.
The Commission's President Gillian Triggs wrote: "The aims of stopping people smugglers and deaths at sea do not justify the cruel and illegal means adopted."
Attorney General George Brandis responded to the report by saying that the government does not accept the commission's conclusions.
Australia and asylumAustralia and asylum
Australia asylum: Why is it controversial?Australia asylum: Why is it controversial?