Fed: Petition calls on govt to release children from detention
CANBERRA, Dec 9 AAP - Eight and a half thousand Australians have signed a petitioncalling on the federal government to release children and their carers from immigrationdetention centres.
The government has announced guidelines to allow children and their mothers, and unaccompaniedminors, to stay in alternative accommodation including supervised community housing.
But federal Labor MP Tanya Plibersek said there were still 94 children behind razorwire on the Australian mainland and the move was too little, too late.
"They're talking about children arriving here from now on, they are talking only aboutchildren and their mothers," she told reporters after taking delivery of the petitionsfrom lobby group CHILOUT (children out of detention.)
"When you have children of your own you see children like this and you imagine thesechildren behind razor wire in these desert detention centres and I think that really putsthis issue into pretty stark relief."
The petition calls on the government to release all children and their carers fromdetention centres and will be presented to Leader of the House Tony Abbott this week.
AAP kmh/kjp/ldj/sp
KEYWORD: DETENTION PETITION (PIX AVAILABLE)
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