The Greens have called for humane reform of the Federal Government’s immigration detention policy, following the handing down of a new report from a parliamentary inquiry.

The Joint Migration Committee tabled its second report into immigration detention last night. The Greens submitted additional comments to the majority report.

“People seek refuge in countries like Australia out of fear, persecution and desperation, and Australia does have a responsibility to treat those people with dignity, humanity and compassion,” said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Immigration and Human Rights and member of the Migration Committee.

“In order to fulfil these responsibilities, we must reform the current immigration detention regime and the current bridging visa framework.

“The Inquiry showed that people are currently held in detention even after their health and security checks have been completed, while they await their official immigration status to be determined. Detaining people who are not a health or security risk is not necessary, nor appropriate – and is expensive for the taxpayer.

“The Greens welcomed the Committee’s long-overdue recommendation to reform the bridging visa framework, to ensure asylum seekers have access to essential support services such as basic income assistance, access to health care, and assistance in securing appropriate accommodation.

“This important step forward has been something for which refugee advocates have been campaigning for years.”

Senator Hanson-Young said Immigration Minister Chris Evans must respond to the recommendations within the Migration Committee’s majority report as well as its additional comments.

“We urge Minister Evans to take action in the areas of most concern to the Greens, such as ensuring no child is held in any form of secure detention – including on Christmas Island - and guaranteeing judicial review of immigration decisions,” she said.

“The Inquiry process highlighted ongoing concerns about children in transit and residential detention, yet the Committee’s majority report has failed to address these.

“The Greens will be moving to amend the Migration Act 1958, to ensure no child or their family will be detained in any form of secure detention.

“We also hold ongoing concerns about the lack of judicial review for immigration decisions. The Greens propose the right to appeal immediately to a court for release unless there are reasonable grounds to justify detention, and a detention limit of 30 days.”