Audio from Sarah's doors appearance in the Senate. She spoke about keeping asylum seeker numbers in perspective and a great year for the Australian Greens.

Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia) (12:23): I move:
That the Senate-
(a) notes that:
(i) more than 3 000 Iranian exiles and asylum seekers reside at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, and
(ii) these people are at risk of expulsion or refoulement, if the Iraqi Government persists in its plan to close the camp by the end of 2011; and

The latest act of self-harm by asylum seekers in Darwin again demonstrates why alternatives to indefinite mandatory detention are urgently needed, the Australian Greens said today.
"We are sadly seeing more long-term damage with Faili Kurds in Darwin sewing their lips together to protest being detained for up to 22 months," Greens' immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.

(South Australia) (15:48): I move:

That the Senate congratulates the Australian Refugee Council on its 30th anniversary - 30 years of wonderful work, advocacy and promotion of Australia's multicultural society, offering important support to new arrivals and refugees.

Question agreed to.

The Australian Greens have welcomed news the Australian Human Rights Commission will investigate the detention in adult prisons of Indonesians who are crew members of asylum seeker boats and claim to be children.

"The Commission's decision is most welcome because Australia is breaking its national and international obligations to ensure children are never put in adult prisons," Greens' immigration and children, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said today.

Audio from Sarah's door stop outside the Senate entrance, Monday 21/11/11.

The Greens will in the Senate this week introduce a bill which seeks to stop any more Indonesian children accused of people smuggling from being detained in Australian adult prisons.

"At least 34 Indonesian children have been freed by Australian courts and returned home after months of unnecessary anguish and detention," Greens' immigration and children spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said today.

Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia) (14:25): My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Justice, Senator Joe Ludwig. In the UK the practice of using X-rays to determine the ages of children for criminal proceedings is unlawful and indeed can lead to practitioners facing criminal charges of assault and professional misconduct.

An expert advising the federal government has told an inquiry there is confusion between detention contractors and the Immigration Department about protocols for handling detainees with mental illnesses, the Australian Greens said today.

"Professor Louise Newman has confirmed what we had long suspected - that decisions and protocols made by staff in detention centres on the welfare and health of fragile detainees is not in line with best practice or well-understood medical standards," Greens' immigration spokesperson, Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young, said.