A picture of despair; images from Manus Island

Photographic images from within the Manus Island detention centre, exposing the harsh and objectionable conditions there, have been released by Senator Sarah Hanson-Young’s office today.

“These images are proof that Australia must stop sending people, especially children, to the detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru,” The Greens’ immigration spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“Anyone can see that the conditions there are totally unacceptable for adults and it breaks my heart to know that children are being locked up there as well.

“There should be no excuse for the media not being granted full access to the facilities so that the public don’t have to rely on leaked images to see what conditions are actually like there.”

“Australia is not a cruel country, but when I toured the PNG detention facility it was very clear that the government is acting cruelly,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“As one refugee told me when I was on Manus Island, the conditions of the camp reminded of life in the Iraq war and he was re-traumatised by the experience on Manus Island.

“The UNHCR has recommended that no more children be sent to Manus and we believe, after seeing the conditions there, that no one should be forced to live in such destitution.

“It is time for Julia Gillard and the Labor Party to stop competing with Tony Abbott’s Liberals in a race to the bottom and bring these people back to Australia.”