Help for suicidal girl
Refugee family flown from Nauru to Australia for assistance
PETER Dutton’s immigration department has vowed to fly a mentally unwell refugee girl from Nauru to Australia after lawyers took action on the suffering child’s behalf.
The girl, who has attempted suicide three times, was due to be flown to the mainland yesterday with her father and brother, the department promised in a Federal Court hearing on Saturday.
It comes after legal firm Maurice Blackburn lodged an urgent application on the girl’s behalf on Friday night.
The firm’s head of social justice Jennifer Kanis welcomed the decision but said it was “outrageous” that it took court action to get the girl help.
“We’re delighted that the Government has this morning agreed to bring our client from Nauru to Australia so she can get the medical attention she so desperately needs,” Ms Kanis said outside court.
In court, Mr Dutton’s legal counsel Ashlee Briffa said flights were being booked for the refugee family to travel to Australia yesterday afternoon.
She said a doctor’s report on the girl had only been received by the department on Friday.
However, Maurice Blackburn claimed the medical report was more than a week old and the department should have been aware of it.
“We don’t know why the Government are saying they haven’t been provided with that report,” Ms Kanis said.
Comment has been sought from Mr Dutton.
The Federal Court ordered that the full medical history of the girl and her family be handed over to their lawyers.