Lawyers stop baby, asylum seeker family from going to Nauru

An asylum seeker family with a sick newborn baby has won a temporary court order blocking their deportation to Nauru.

Nauru

(AAP)

The federal government won't send a two-week-old baby and his asylum-seeker family to Nauru before next week after lawyers sought a court order to stop their removal.

A spokeswoman at Maurice Blackburn says the government has given an undertaking not to remove the family until further order of the court.

"We expect this matter will be back in court on Tuesday morning," she said in a statement on Friday.

Associate Murray Watt earlier said the family from Myanmar (Burma) had already been "mistreated", with restrictions placed on the family's ability to visit the baby boy in hospital following his birth in Brisbane two weeks ago.

Mr Watt said they were terrified they could be taken to Nauru at any time even though the baby remains weak, has trouble breastfeeding and his mother is recovering from a caesarean birth and suffers from diabetes.

A senate committee was told in Canberra this week an immigration health advisory group would report in December after reviewing the case where the mother was separated from her sick baby at nights following the birth.

Mr Watt said the law firm sought the court order because the immigration department would not commit to giving the family a chance to present medical reports outlining the likely impact removal to Nauru would have on their health.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison reiterated on Friday there were no exceptions to the rule of offshore processing for any individuals who arrive illegally by boat after 19 July.

"That is the government's policy. And when there are medical clearances that are in place for people to return to Nauru, in the case of families, then that is what would occur," he said in a statement.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world