An Analysis of the Detention of Asylum Seekers in Australia

This essay provides an overview of the detention of asylum seekers in Australia, focusing on the challenges faced by refugees in detention centers. It highlights the issues of unsanitary conditions, inadequate healthcare, and human rights violations. The essay discusses specific cases of medical negligence and the denial of medical transfers, including instances involving children and elderly people. It also examines the conditions on Nauru Island, where asylum seekers experience restricted freedoms and limited access to basic necessities. The essay argues for improved healthcare, educational, and legal benefits for refugees and suggests the formation of a specialized committee to monitor medical referrals and improve health conditions. The author emphasizes the importance of the Australian government taking immediate action to resolve these problems and resettle refugees in Australia, ensuring they receive equal rights and benefits.

Running head: DETENTION OF THE ASYLUM SEEKERS
Detention of the Asylum Seekers
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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DETENTION OF THE ASSYLUM SEEKERS
Common goods refers to the recognition of the numerous proper achievements other
than the personal benefits and here are a few responsible person who wants to improve the
condition of the society by contributing to the society without any personal benefits of
themselves. For example, a portion of taxes paid by common people, is used to improve the
education of the society. This amount is not directly benefitting the people, rather it is used in the
interest of other common people (ACU, 2016). The way of seeking protection after entering into
a country is commonly known as ‘seeking asylum’ and it is seen that most of the people in this
world seeks protection by finding an asylum. In Australia, the refugees have a long history and
the government had resettled a huge number of refugees. But nowadays it is seen that, the
refugees or asylum seekers are neglected in terms of getting benefits regarding legal, health and
cultural contexts.
In recent time in Australia it is seen that, the onshore and offshore asylum seekers in the
soil of Australia has been facing the problem of unsanitary conditions. In addition to this, the
negligence of the health professionals in serving the cramped asylum seekers is also another area
of serious concern. It is seen that, the asylum seekers are developing various diseases and health
problems due to lack of proper care. Living in an unhealthy, mould-prone condition also
contributed to the bad health condition of the asylum seekers. This poor condition of the asylum
seekers causes serious health care consequences that can be managed by the health professionals
(Doherty, 2018). According to a report of The Guardian, it is found that, in 2014 a 24 years old
asylum seekers has developed septicemia due to cut in his foot although he had have antibiotics.
From the investigation it is seen that the health professionals have delayed in transferring him to
the tertiary hospital and after spending 36 hours in negligence he was finally transferred to the
Brisbanes’s Mater Hospital by the doctors (Laughland, 2018). This unfortunate death proves the

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detention of the asylum seekers in the processing centers by the health professionals. Moreover,
in many cases it is seen that, even children are refused a medical transfer and they are not even
considered for the overseas medical treatment. The elderly people don’t even get any special
treatment. From a report it is seen that elderly people have to wait a long for getting any
treatment in the Nauru Island (Evershed et al., 2018).
The Australian government are transferring refugees to the Nauru Island and according
the refugees of the island they are experiencing a prison like environment there. They are facing
immense negligence in every aspects of their life. Firstly, the Australian Government is sending
the asylum seekers against their will and after sending there all the basic rights of those people
are breached (Human rights watch, 2016). They even not have any privacy and their tents are
searched by the guards regularly. They even not have the right to keep foods and they are
allowed to have shower for only two minutes. They are forced to live in a very small room that is
most of the time a converted container. Refugees’ liberty is greatly altered by the monitoring of
the guards all of the time. From the interviews of the asylum seekers of the island, it is found
that, they even don’t have the right to keep mobile phones of themselves. They even not allowed
to keep their phones to the processing centers (Human rights watch, 2016).
The children of the refugee people who are attending the local schools are facing
negligence. They are not given proper education. In addition they are facing humiliation and
bullying behavior from the other students especially from the Nauruan students. The refugees are
told to go back to their own country (Human rights watch, 2016).
The Australian government should take immediate action to resolve the problems of the
refugee and should resettle the refugee in Australia from Nauru Island. However, if the refugees
will stay in the Nauru, the Government should assure that they also have the equal health care,

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educational and legal benefits like other people of the country or the Nauru Island. Health
insurances facilities can be given to the refugees. In order to monitor the medical referrals, a
specialized committee can be formed so that the health condition of the refugees can be
improved.

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References
ACU. (2016). Retrieved from https://leocontent.acu.edu.au/file/8e8cfd0c-0c07-4862-92c1-
118b46d203d4/18/pdf/M5-TheCommonGood.pdf
Doherty, B. (2018). Nauru refugees, asylum seekers and staff exposed to 'highly toxic' mould.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/23/nauru-refugees-asylum-
seekers-and-staff-exposed-to-highly-toxic-mould
Evershed, N., Liu, R., Farrell, P., & Davidson, H. (2018). The Nauru files: the lives of asylum
seekers in detention detailed in a unique database – interactive. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2016/aug/10/the-nauru-files-
the-lives-of-asylum-seekers-in-detention-detailed-in-a-unique-database-interactive
Human rights watch. (2016). Australia: Appalling Abuse, Neglect of Refugees on Nauru.
Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/08/02/australia-appalling-abuse-neglect-
refugees-nauru
Laughland, O. (2018). Asylum seeker declared 'brain dead' after leaving Manus Island. Retrieved
from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/03/asylum-seeker-declared-brain-
dead-medical-evacuation-manus-island