Abbott Government, Australia's Policies Under Fire, Human Rights Watch Gives Scathing Review
Australia's policies on asylum seekers, sexual orientation, indigenous affairs, and disability were scrutinized by New York-based watchdog Human Rights Watch and found them wanting. The group gave a scathing review of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's Coalition government and the previous Labour government.
The Human Rights Watch has accused both governments of undermining the formerly strong human rights record of Australia by turning away asylum seeker boats and undercutting protection for refugees.
The watchdog also called out Australia for its indefinite and mandatory detention of asylum seekers. The Abbott government has been sending asylum seekers outside the country for processing and offer resettlement if found to be refugees.
The Human Rights Watch is also critical of Australia's Temporary Protection Visas for refugees and its failure to report human rights violations with neighbouring countries.
The comprehensive report on human rights covers policy decisions from around the world up to Nov. 2013. According to Human Rights Watch Australia Director Elaine Pearson, the chapter about the country stands out in a negative way.
Ms Pearson said Australia is the wealthiest nation in the region but it is sending asylum seekers to poorer countries regularly. She remarked that the Abbott government should reconsider its policies if it wants to change its global standing.
Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs said the Human Rights Watch report is part of a growing list of organisations and bodies that criticise the asylum seeker policies of Australia. Ms Triggs told ABC her biggest concern is the detention of children.
She believes Australia has gone too far when it comes to the children since there are more than a thousand of them still being held and isolated. Human rights groups are concerned of their welfare. Children should not be detained as a matter of law except when it is viewed as the last resort.
The report also expressed alarm over Australian laws allowing girls and women to be forced into sterilisation if the Family Court or Guardianship Tribunal declares it's in their best interests. The Human Rights Watch is critical of the Senate committee for proposing regulation of the practice rather than a total ban.
The way Australia handles indigenous affairs did not impress the watchdog as data shows that the indigenous people die 10 to 12 years before the non-indigenous.
The Human Rights Watch stated in its report that Australia has tainted its human rights record because of its failure to uphold international obligations and implementing "draconian" policies on asylum seekers.
