Amidst reports that the first plane load of refugees will leave for Nauru later today, the Government has refused to explain its use of force protocols for executing the transfers and appears to have disregarded the Nauru government's specific condition that force not be used against refugees.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young requested information about use of force in the Senate question time today from Minister Lundy.

The Australian Greens today condemned the passing of the Nauru designation instrument as the Government and Coalition voted down Greens amendments that would have limited the harm caused to refugees by the Gillard government's new Pacific ‘Solution'.

"Labor and the Coalition have given the green light to dump children, unaccompanied minors and pregnant women in prison camps on Nauru indefinitely with no protections, against the expert advice of humanitarian organisations including the UN" said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

The Greens predict a mental health crisis and a return to the horrors of the Pacific Solution as the Government's designation for Nauru contains no protections or welfare standards.

"It is a sad day when we see the Labor Party moving to dump vulnerable refugees, including children, on an island prison with no time limit on their detention or proper safeguards to care for them.

The Australian Greens today announced that they will introduce a bill in the Senate to establish an independent panel of expert physicians to oversee the health and mental health of asylum seekers and refugees in indefinite offshore detention.

"The Expert Health Care Panel proposed by the Greens will add some humanity to an otherwise inhumane policy" said Greens' immigration spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

The Australian Greens today called on the Government to clarify the terms agreed with PNG on the duration of offshore detention of refugees and confirm whether multinational engineering company Transfield Services is contracted to operate the offshore facilities.

"The Prime Minister must clarify how long vulnerable refugees will be dumped offshore - indefinitely is not an option' said Greens' immigration spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young today.

The Greens today welcomed the Government's progress with bilateral negotiations with Indonesia to improve search and rescue operations in our region, but called on the Government to clarify protocols around how and when Australia will take responsibility for rescued asylum seekers.

The Australian Greens today expressed their sorrow at the recent loss of lives and called for a thorough investigation into improving safety at sea practices and clarifying rescue obligations in law.

"There must be an urgent investigation into the continued delays in responding to distress calls from asylum seeker boats" said Greens' spokesperson for immigration Senator Sarah Hanson-Young in Adelaide today.

The Australian Greens have called on the government to make reparations to Indonesian children wrongly imprisoned as adults and bring in urgent legislative safeguards to stop such injustices happening again, after Senator Hanson-Young participated in the Detention of Indonesian Minors in Australia Senate inquiry in Canberra today.

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Subjects: mining, increasing the humanitarian intake, health of asylum seekers in detention, environmental protections, Tony Abbott