The Kids Research Institute Australia has welcomed the announcement that the Murugappan family will be moved into community detention in Perth.
Institute Director, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, said this morning’s announcement by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke makes good sense and will help the physical and mental health of four-year-old Tharnicaa and her five-year-old sister Kopika, who were both born in Australia but have been in held detention on Christmas Island since 2019.
“We are pleased that the decision has been made to bring Tharnicaa’s father Nades and sister Kopika off Christmas Island to be with her and her mother Priya as she undergoes treatment in Perth,” he said.
Separating families makes it difficult to provide for the health and emotional wellbeing needs of children, so that concern will be addressed by reuniting this family.
But Professor Carapetis added that there is overwhelming evidence of the damage to children when they reside in a held detention environment.
“Children of any age should not be in held detention, and children should not be separated from their family. We urge the Australian Government not to return these children to held detention, to allow this family to stay together, and to commit to never keeping children in held detention in the future.
We wish the family well as they are reunited and am sure this will be very positive for Tharnicaa’s recovery