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| Australia investigates detention centre abuse reports | Australia investigates detention centre abuse reports |
| (about 17 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 involved detainees' children. | Immigration official Ken Douglas told a senate committee that some of these cases involved detainees' children. |
| The inquiry follows the publication of a report earlier this month by the Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) which condemned their treatment. | The inquiry follows the publication of a report earlier this month by the Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) which condemned their treatment. |
| On Tuesday Australia's prime minister launched a scathing attack on that report, lashing out at the HRC head. | On Tuesday Australia's prime minister launched a scathing attack on that report, lashing out at the HRC head. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Local media say that the claims of sexual abuse being investigated cover a period from January 2013 to July 2014. | Local media say that the claims of sexual abuse being investigated cover a period from January 2013 to July 2014. |
| 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. | 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. |
| One of those who has reported abuse on Nauru, a 16-year-old girl, is currently in hospital after throwing herself off a balcony. | One of those who has reported abuse on Nauru, a 16-year-old girl, is currently in hospital after throwing herself off a balcony. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "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. | "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." | "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. | 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 Ms 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. | Ms Trigg told the hearing that she had been "very shaken and shocked" by the request. |
| Forgotten children | 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. |
| 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 HRC report, entitled The Forgotten Children, said a third of detained children had developed mental illnesses of such severity that they required psychiatric treatment. |
| It said that detaining children violated international human rights law, and called for their immediate release. | It said that detaining children violated international human rights law, and called for their immediate release. |
| Australia and asylum | Australia and asylum |
| Australia asylum: Why is it controversial? | Australia asylum: Why is it controversial? |