Protesters outside Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital have pledged to stand watch until Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull or Immigration Minister Peter Dutton release a statement regarding the possible deportation of Baby Asha.
Protest vigil 12:30am Sunday at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital #StayStrong #LetThemStay #BabyAsha #auspol #Nauru pic.twitter.com/f3lkQHRN1j
— Jennifer Rowe (@jenn_alice) February 14, 2016
Darwin-born Asha was brought to Australia after suffering burns in detention on Nauru; while doctors have confirmed her condition is now stable, they’ve refused to release her over their belief she’d be returned to detention.
Despite the protests gaining national attention, neither the PM nor the Immigration Minister have offered a comment on the situation. 7 News reports protesters on-scene will be taking shifts outside the hospital until they do.
MT “@rjstrikers: …at Lady Cilento Hospital Vigil #LetThemStay #BabyAsha #Sanctuary #Nauru #auspol pic.twitter.com/H1ZzGcyZua“#Valentines
— Earthling (@LetsRoc137) February 14, 2016
He was quickly backed up by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who said her “government stands absolutely ready to look after the people who are due to be sent back to Nauru – we stand ready, willing and able to do that.”
That stance mirrors her claim Queensland would help resettle 267 asylum seekers currently on Australian shores and their immediate families, in stark contrast to the (likely) possibility of them being returned to offshore detention.