Labor member for Batman slams Nauru, Manus Island detention centres in maiden speech

FORMER union boss Ged Kearney has used her maiden speech to federal Parliament to slam the “shameful” indefinite detention of asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island.

FORMER union boss Ged Kearney has used her maiden speech to federal Parliament to slam the “shameful” indefinite detention of asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island.

Ms Kearney, who won the inner-city seat of Batman in a by-election in March, said “racist dog-whistling” from governments had “demonised and vilified” a community that had everything to give to Australia.

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Her comments come ahead of Labor’s national conference where the party will debate its policy to move asylum seekers out of mandatory detention within 90 days, and to raise the refugee intake from 18,750 to 27,000.

But the 90-day processing rule would not cover refugees on Nauru or Manus, given that they have already been processed.

Bill Shorten congratulates Ged Kearney after her maiden speech Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

“I cannot comprehend how a nation that provided a safe home to so many in the wake of World War II … allowed the Tampa and the “children overboard” scandal to evolve into the shameful policy of indefinite detention on Manus and Nauru,” Ms Kearney said.

“Racist dog-whistling has demonised and vilified a community that has everything to give to Australia — and the sacrifice of this human potential has been made solely for political gain.”

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Ms Kearney said the overwhelming majority of asylum seekers were from places of conflict and Australian was a signatory to international conventions.

“We are a rich country. We can afford to take more refugees,” she said.

“We must — as a priority — move the asylum seekers off Manus and Nauru to permanent resettlement, and ensure that indefinite detention never happens again.”