Australia’s
immigration minister confirmed Sunday that an asylum seeker baby who
doctors have refused to discharge from a hospital in Queensland state
will be placed in community detention rather than immediately deported
to an offshore detention center in Nauru.
The announcement comes after protesters have been rallying for more than a week against the pending deportation of the 12-month-old Australia-born baby, known as Asha, and her family.
Asha has been receiving treatment at Brisbane's Lady Cilento Children's Hospital since last month after she suffered accidental burns from boiling water on Nauru, where she had detained with her parents since she was five months old.
Doctors had refused to discharge the infant, who has recovered, until "a suitable home environment is identified".
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Sunday that an agreement had been reached with doctors that Asha and her family would be moved to community detention in Brisbane, but may still be returned to Nauru once the process had finalized.
"That's what we have proposed all along but at some point, if people have matters finalized in Australia, they will be returning to Nauru -- that's exactly the same treatment that we've applied equally," he said.
The Australian Associated Press reported that when asked when plans to release Asha into the community had earlier been clarified, the minister responded, “I haven't previously announced anything other than that there would be a return to Nauru, ultimately, when people's matters are finalized.”
Under Australia’s hardline immigration policy, asylum seekers who set out for the country by sea are held at offshore processing centers on the Pacific islands of Manus and Nauru, where conditions have been described as appalling by rights advocates.
Earlier this month, the High Court ruled in favor of the country’s offshore detention policy, resulting in 267 asylum seekers -- including 91 children, 37 of them babies born in Australia -- facing imminent deportation.
According to figures from Australia’s immigration department, a total of 1,459 people were held at the country’s facilities in Nauru and Manus Island in January.
The announcement comes after protesters have been rallying for more than a week against the pending deportation of the 12-month-old Australia-born baby, known as Asha, and her family.
Asha has been receiving treatment at Brisbane's Lady Cilento Children's Hospital since last month after she suffered accidental burns from boiling water on Nauru, where she had detained with her parents since she was five months old.
Doctors had refused to discharge the infant, who has recovered, until "a suitable home environment is identified".
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Sunday that an agreement had been reached with doctors that Asha and her family would be moved to community detention in Brisbane, but may still be returned to Nauru once the process had finalized.
"That's what we have proposed all along but at some point, if people have matters finalized in Australia, they will be returning to Nauru -- that's exactly the same treatment that we've applied equally," he said.
The Australian Associated Press reported that when asked when plans to release Asha into the community had earlier been clarified, the minister responded, “I haven't previously announced anything other than that there would be a return to Nauru, ultimately, when people's matters are finalized.”
Under Australia’s hardline immigration policy, asylum seekers who set out for the country by sea are held at offshore processing centers on the Pacific islands of Manus and Nauru, where conditions have been described as appalling by rights advocates.
Earlier this month, the High Court ruled in favor of the country’s offshore detention policy, resulting in 267 asylum seekers -- including 91 children, 37 of them babies born in Australia -- facing imminent deportation.
According to figures from Australia’s immigration department, a total of 1,459 people were held at the country’s facilities in Nauru and Manus Island in January.
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