Australian taxpayers will be forking out multi-million dollar compensation payouts to current and former asylum seekers who are preparing claims in courts that they suffered trauma and psychological damage while in detention.
Legal and medical sources have informed “The Daily Telegraph” that many detainees were preparing claims against the Australian government and detention centre operators Serco and G4S for million dollar payouts.
Australia’s Immigration Program has two components
Migration Program for skilled and family migrants
- Humanitarian Program for refugees and others in refugee–like situations.
This fact sheet provides details of Australia’s Humanitarian Program. Details of the Migration Program are available in Fact Sheets 20–40.
See: Fact Sheet Indexhttp://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/docs/resources/Intake%20Sub%202010-11.pdf
Mr.Parvez Yousefi’, a former Iranian oil industry engineer, who was granted a record $800,000 in damages achieved notoriety while in detention when he sewed his lips together and attempted suicide while in the Woomera Detention centre between 2001 and 2004. Among those making claims are Iranian Mehrnoosh Yousefi and her adult son, who have both been granted refugee status. Slater & Gordon’s Bill Madden confirmed the pair had claimed detention had “resulted in serious psychological damage”
In some lawsuits against the Australian government, asylum seekers are seeking damages for claims for lost earnings during since their detention, claiming factors such as an inability to concentrate and the need for ongoing medical treatment.
The Australian government can soon be using more taxpayers money for payouts to the refugees if lawsuits like these become more regular.
2010–11 Refugee and Humanitarian program
The Humanitarian Program for 2010–11 is set at 13 750 places and comprises:
- refugees from overseas—6000 places
- other humanitarian—7750 places (this includes places for the SHP and for persons granted protection after arrival in Australia).
Dr Zachary Steele from the University of NSW tells Jason Morrison refugees have rights. 65% of refugees have been in custody for longer than six-months, a period medical experts say causes mental health issues
Comments
Judicus of Brisbane Posted at 7:58 AM Today
What the hell is this country coming to when this garbage happens. They choose to come here under those circumstances, and then sue us because of it. I just can’t believe this, and I can’t begin to explain or describe how bloody angry this makes me. We are so stupid to allow this to happen, our courts are there to pay anything to anyone who comes with the most lame excuse ever and give them what they want. While long suffering tax payers, our very neglected older people, disabled and ill Australians can’t afford the very basic of human rights like a hospital bed or shelter over their heads, we are paying out hundreds of thousands to boat people who have been in a detention centre for longer than 6 months. What a bloody disgrace it is. I almost despair at this type of do-gooder nonsense. I strongly encourage our sick, elderly and disabled to sue the government for psychiatric damage due to the non-availability of services for them then. If the illegal boat people can have such a huge win in the courts then these Australians can surely do so as well. What a pathetic joke it is. Come over here illegally, destroy our property then sue us. WTF??
David of Sydney Posted at 7:57 AM Today
So not only do Australian taxpayers foot the bill for the accomodation, meals and “entertainment” of these illegal asylum seekers, now we are paying for the reconstruction of their detention centres after they set them on fire, and then to add the ultimate insult to injury we are paying compensation after they come here illegaly and claim they can no longer work from the trauma they have suffered. There is something very wrong with this picture. Laws should be passed preventing oppotunistic “ambulance chasing” Australian lawyers from convincing illegal immigrants that they could become instant millionaires by coming to Australia and they should be sent back immediately to prevent this sort of thing from happening.
Go back to where you came from Airs on Sbs 1
An interesting show that is soon going to launch on SBS based on the refugee situation is “Go back to where you came from”. In the show , Six ordinary Australians agree to challenge their preconceived notions about refugees and asylum seekers by embarking on a confronting 25-day journey. Tracing in reverse the journeys that refugees have taken to reach Australia, they travel to some of the most dangerous and desperate corners of the world, with no idea what is in store for them along the way. This drama airs on sbs 1 on june 21,22,23 0830 pm wst.
Related Links:
Dozens of Bosnian (Muslim) war refugees sue US over citizenship delays
http://www.ehmac.ca/refugees-sue-canadian-government.html
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How do they seperate the portion of depression etc that came from the incarceration while waiting for processing, and the other portions from their journey, treatment in their own country and countries along hte way, adjustment to a new way of life and so on? Sounds fishy, and why have we not heard about these cases prior to the first settlement? Did this case not go through the court system – is this not being fought against?
According to Bob Brown and Ian Rintoul, this illegal deserves every penny and has encouraged others to do the same.
Let’s all just give up now and hand the country over to these people.
Its a shame that Australian’s don’t relies that their Government locks away (ie detentions) people, because its law!
I was placed in Australian Immigration centre (Villawood) for 7 and half months, all because I wanted freedom of Speech and was shipped back to New Zealand.
Australia has one of the worst records for Immigration abuse!
When the first white folks first come to Australia back in 1788, was there a Aboriginal Immigration department waiting for them. Ship’Em back to England!