Australian Refugee Child Health Network (ARCH)

ACAH calls for Minister Andrews to reunite Tharnicaa Murugappan with her sister and family as soon as possible and release them from held detention. The mental health sequelae of both siblings require paediatric specialist mental health care which is not available, and not sustainable, on Christmas Island, nor in any held detention environment.

The Academy of Child and Adolescent Health – which represents medical, nursing and other health practitioners working with children and adolescents across the region – would like to add our voice to those of our other medical professionals, including the AMA, asking for the release of the Murugappan family, currently being held on Christmas Island.

Thursday 10th December 2020 was the United Nations Human Rights Day. We urge the Federal Government to release the children who remain in Immigration detention, including the 3 year old and 5 year old who have been held on Christmas Island for over 1000 days.

This decision is already having a devastating effect on these children, young people and their families. They are now at imminent risk of homelessness, food insecurity, further traumatisation and physical and mental health issues, including COVID-19.

We fully support the Australian Human Rights Commission’s repeated appeal to the Morrison Government for: “… people in Australian immigration detention facilities who do not pose a security risk to the community to be released … ”