Australia child asylum seekers

In response to stark criticism over the government's tough stance on asylum seekers, Australia's interior minister, Scott Morrison, confirmed on Tuesday that it would be authorizing the release of roughly 150 immigrant children and their families from mainland detention centers, where around 500 children are currently housed.

They will join the some 1,547 minors already living in community detention. Those already there are currently being considered for Australian visas on a "case-by-case" basis, whereas the new 150 cases are to receive bridge visas by the end of the year.

"We are confident that we can move a large number of them off community detention into the bridging visa program," Morrison told reporters on Tuesday.

Last year, the former Labor government introduced a law that forced all new boat arrivals to be processed offshore. The legislation, which went into effect on July 19 last year, has raised awareness of the plight of the South East Asian boat arrivals, who have been held on Christmas Island and the Pacific Island of Nauru without proper medical care.

A national inquiry has also revealed the prevalence of mental health issues among the detained children.

Offshore policy won't change

However, the Australian immigration minister emphasized on Wednesday that only the illegal immigrants who had arrived before the July 19 cut-off date would be considered for asylum.

"Offshore processing is one of the measures stopping the boats and I don't think encouraging children to get on boats where they can die at sea is an acceptable humanitarian outcome," Morrison said in defense of the current law.

"This government won't be watering down its policies on border protection that are saving lives at sea."

Currently, there are 148 children detained on Christmas Island and a further 183 on Nauru.

kms/tj (AFP, Reuters)