Lawsuit filed against Scott Morrison after asylum seekers injured on Christmas Island

A SIX-year-old girl who suffers Post Traumatic Stress disorder is the lead plaintiff in class action proceedings brought against the federal government and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison.

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A six-year-old girl detained on Christmas Island who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the lead plaintiff in class action proceedings brought against the federal government and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison.

The girl developed a stammer and started wetting the bed following her detention.

Asylum seekers injured on Christmas Island are suing Morrison and the federal government over failure to provide adequate health care.

Law firm Maurice Blackburn has today filed class action proceedings in the Supreme Court of Victoria on behalf of asylum seekers detained on Christmas Island over the past three years.

The class action will seek compensation and asks the court to order the government and Mr Morrison to provide medical care for all asylum seekers who suffered an injury while in detention.

Scott Morrison is the Federal Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

The lead plaintiff, known only as A.S., has been in detention for more than a year.

Since that time, the six-year-old has been suffering physical and mental health issues including ongoing dental infection, allergies, and is refusing food.

Lawyers said she also wakes several times a night to check her mother is still in the room with her and suffers severe separation anxiety.

Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jacob Varghese said the girl was being robbed of her childhood.

“The government is robbing far too many kids of their childhoods,” he said.

“Too many asylum-seekers health are being severely compromised by being in detention. Doctors who have first-hand experience of what it is like there say services fall well short of standards the Australian community expects.”

Mr Varghese said Mr Morrison had failed in his duty of care to protect the health and wellbeing of asylum seekers.