2015-11-23
The Senate has voted in support of Greens amendments to the Migration and Maritime Powers Amendment Bill (No. 1), in a move to legislate the removal of children form immigration detention.
"These children have had their childhood taken from them, at least now they can have a real Christmas," Senator Hanson-Young said.
"The government has to recognise the will of the Senate on this and begin to remove these children as soon as possible."
As well as the amendment to remove children from detention, the Senate legislated to have the centres opened up to media scrutiny, the reporting of abuse made mandatory and the reversal of the punitive Border Force whistle-blower crackdown, which covered doctors and nurses in detention.
The bill will now return to the House of Representatives as amended and it will up to Malcolm Turnbull whether he reverses this historic legislative achievement.
"Malcolm Turnbull has a decision to make," Senator Hanson-Young said, "will he reverse the will of the Senate and the people just so that he can keep children locked up in detention?
"For the sake of the children and the heart of the nation, I hope the Prime Minister does the right thing."
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