Thousands of Australian health professionals demand refugee kids off island prison camp

Thousands more doctors, nurses and health professionals have joined the Australian Medical Association and called for the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to get refugee children off the Nauru Island prison camp. Morrison needs to listen to doctors' orders. Over the last few days, thousands more doctors, nurses and health professionals have joined the Australian Medical Association and called for the PM to get #KidsOffNauru.1

But instead of heeding their advice, Morrison has pushed back hard.2

Despite the groundswell of healthcare workers speaking out, the public outrage that followed, and more critically ill children being evacuated from Nauru under Federal Court orders3 – our Government is trying to argue that everything is fine. But that couldn't be further from the truth – and we need to remind them.

If thousands of us inundate our MP's offices with the faces and stories of the children detained on Nauru – we can force them to acknowledge the truth, and demand action.

GetUp! is urging people to email to their local MP the faces of the children detained on Nauru and demand they to listen to doctors orders.

Last week, GetUp members helped plaster Canberra and the country with pictures of George*.

Everywhere they turned, politicians were forced to look into the eyes of a two-year-old child who's never known a day of freedom in his life.

Meanwhile, the head of the AMA issued a blistering statement calling the situation for children detained on Nauru a "humanitarian emergency requiring urgent intervention."4

And the cracks are starting to show. Politicians from all sides have urged the government to listen to doctors' calls to immediately evacuate the 95 children and their families to safety.5

But to push other politicians to listen to doctors' orders, we're going to need to dial up the pressure.

Over the last few weeks, GetUp members have helped shatter the lie that there are no children in detention – but we need to keep fighting.

We need to stand up, every one one of us, and push for our politicians to do the right thing. To listen to Australia's top doctors and health workers, and bring these kids and their families to safety.

In determination,

Renaire for the GetUp team

References:
[1] 'AMA "demands" Fed Govt moves asylum seeker children and their families off Nauru', Croakey, 20 September 2018.
[2] 'Scott Morrison rejects AMA plea to bring children from Nauru to Australia', The Guardian, 20 September 2018.
[3] 'Court orders Peter Dutton to transfer ill family of three from Nauru', The Guardian, 25 September.
[4] 'AMA president calls for urgent transfer of refugee families from Nauru', The Guardian, 20 September 2018.
[5] 'Morrison is a leader in a hurry – but not to end the disgrace of Nauru', The Guardian, 22 September 2018.

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