Removal of nine Save the Children workers from Nauru has prompted a call for government’s apology. The workers themselves demanded an apology from the government.

After the release of the second official report, it was found that the workers were removed from service from the island without any reason. According to what the welfare workers said, they were fired after raising concerns on the treatment of asylum seekers by the guards at the detention centre. The guards allegedly used to sexually harass the detainees.

The Save the Children workers were forcefully sent home in 2014 after the incident occurred. Then Immigration Minister Scott Morrison accused the fired workers of running a campaign to reject the offshore detention policy implemented by the government.

According to the ABC , internal Immigration Department report released on Friday stated that the workers must be given compensation when there has been no evidence found to prove them guilty of inappropriate behaviour at the centre. One of the staff members, Natasha Blucher, told Saturday AM that the group of sacked workers was more concerned about the situation the detainees were in. Hence they raised their voices against the "misbehaviour" of the guards.

“It’s difficult for us to talk about monetary compensation in relation to ourselves and the harm perpetrated against us when the harm perpetrated against them is so much worse,” Blucher said. The welfare workers’ group has appointed a lawyer to fight their case, claiming required compensation with the Immigration Department.

Blucher indicated her disappointment on receipt of no apology from the government despite the release of two consecutive reports that could not prove them guilty of any misconduct. She also urged the Immigration Department to reverse deportation orders and take the employees back to Nauru centre.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said that the government must offer relevant compensation to the workers. “The last thing we want to see is a court case dragged out at a further cost to taxpayers,” the senator told Saturday AM.

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