Sign the open letter

A group of concerned organisations and individuals – including legal and health professional, faith leaders and academics – have penned an open letter accusing the Government of wilfully and deliberately pursuing a policy known to cause severe mental and physical health problems.

The open letter, convened by Professor Louise Newman AM, is addressed to the Federal Government and the Opposition, calling on them to:

• abandon the policy of mandatory detention,
• cap detention at a maximum of 30 days, and
• adopt alternative solutions that are consistent with the Refugee Convention.

Will you add your name to the list of people calling for an end to indefinite mandatory detention?

The list of prominent signatories include doctors and health professionals, who say the current policy of indefinite mandatory detention makes it nearly impossible for them to adhere their oath to "First Do No Harm".

The open letter is partly in response to the ongoing human rights inquiry into children in detention, where it was revealed by a doctor that medication is often confiscated from newly arrived asylum seekers.

The inquiry was told that no medication was available when a three-year-old girl, who suffered from epilepsy, began to have seizures. While medication was ordered from the mainland, her seizures returned once it ran out.¹

Add your name today. Sign the open letter.

Disclaimer: the open letter has been convened by Professor Louise Newman AM, and is not an initiative of GetUp. However, as a movement of people, who stand for a fair and compassionate Australia, GetUp is a signatory to the letter and supports Professor Newman in calling for an end to indefinite mandatory detention.



^{[1] Christmas Island detainees stripped of basic medication, inquiry told, The Guardian Australia, 31 July 2014}