(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
Refugee advocates have held a protest in Melbourne over the re-introduction of Temporary Protection Visas.
The demonstration comes as new allegations emerge from Nauru of suicide attempts and self harm.
Abby Dinham reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
A small but vocal protest on the streets of Melbourne by the Refugee Action Collective is calling for the government to abandon plans to reintroduce Temporary Protection Visas.
TPVs were abolished in 2008, and so far coalition attempts to restore them have been blocked.
But with the backing of Palmer United Party senators, they look set to return.
The Refugee Action Collective's Chris Breen says it's like a recurring nightmare.
"Temporary Protection Visas are a form of slow torture brought in by the Howard government. They mean that refugees can't establish new lives nor can they go back they're in limbo."
Morteza Poorvavi knows all about it.
After fleeing Iran, he spent four years in detention and another four on a Temporary Protection Visa.
"You can't really feel a sense of belonging to Australia you always feel like there is someone on top of you and as soon as they want to get rid of you they'll deport you."
He says the government is dehumanising the issue by claiming that the reinstatement of TPVs will address a backlog of 30,000 asylum applications.
"Tell every Australian who agrees with this system tell them go and take a 2 year old kid and put them in jail and see if they can do it cos then they feel a conenction then they see the 2 year old as a human being"
Protests have also been held at the Nauru detention centre.
Refugee advocates have released photos showing people with their lips stitched together and they claim incidents of self harm are spiralling out of control.
Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt says Immigration Minister Scott Morrison needs to launch an investigation.
"The minister at some point who loves to take responsibilty for saying he stopped the boats also has to take responsibility for those who are hurting themselves and attempting to kill themselves."
The government maintains its new TPV legislation gets to the root of the problem.
Mr Morrison says the Migration Act will be amended to include new provisions that articulate Australia's interpretation of its protection obligations under the Refugee Convention.
"Under these provisions we've introduced we're claiming back for Australia how we decide who is a refugee and who is not."
The government says the new Temporary Protection Visas will allow holders to work, and have access to Medicare and social security benefits.
But refugee advocate Chris Breen says the negatives far outweigh the positives.
"They are in permanent fear of being sent back. They have to reapply every three years for another visa and they're at risk of getting sent back, they find it difficult to get work and establish roots."
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