Australia says asylum baby will be returned to Nauru detention camp

AwomanholdsupaplacardataprotestoutsideanimmigrationofficeinSydneyonFeb4,2016.PHOTO:AFP

（AFP）AustraliaonMonday(Feb22)saidanasylumseekerbabywhomdoctorshadrefusedtodischargefromhospitalisexpectedtobereturnedtoaremotePacificdetentioncampasadeterrenttopeoplesmugglers.

UnderCanberra'sharshimmigrationpolicy,asylumseekersattemptingtoarriveinAustraliabyboataresenttocampsinPapuaNewGuineaandNauru,wheretheyareheldwhiletheirrefugeeapplicationsareprocessed.

TheyareblockedfrombeingresettledinAustraliaeveniffoundtoberefugees.

Thecaseofone-year-oldAsha,thedaughterofNepaleseasylumseekerswhowasbroughttoBrisbanesufferingburnslastmonth,promptedastandoffwithdoctorsandaweekofralliesoutsidetheLadyCilentoChildren'sHospital.

Medicalstaffhadrefusedtoreleaseheruntilasuitablehomeenvironmenthadbeenidentified.

ImmigrationMinisterPeterDuttonsaidshehadnowbeenmovedtocommunitydetention,whereasylumseekerswaitingfortheirrefugeeapplicationstobeprocessedlivewithinthecommunityandareusuallyallowedtomovearoundfreely.

Butheaddedthatthegovernmentwouldnotbackdownonitspolicyofreturninghertooffshoredetentiononcemedicalandlegalissueshadbeenresolved.

"She'sincommunitydetentionandobviouslysupportwillbeprovidedtothefamily,"MrDuttontoldtheNineNetwork.

Churches,stategovernmentsandevenNewZealandhaveofferedsanctuarytoAshaandthe266otherasylumseekersalsoinAustraliaformedicalcare.

ButMrDuttonsaidthiswouldnotbehappening,sayingitwouldonlyencouragepeople-smugglers.

"I'vebeenveryclear,thegovernment'sbeenveryclearfromdayone,thatwehavearesponsibilitynotonlytothisbaby,buttothebabieswhodrownedatseabeforeandalsopotentiallytobabiesthatwilldrownagainifthepeople-smugglersgotbackintobusiness,"hesaid.

"Sothereisamuchbiggerissueatplayhereand,asIsay,asacountryweshouldbeproudbecausewebringinrecordnumbersofrefugeesthroughtheUNandthroughtheSpecialHumanitarianProgramme.

"ButwearenotgoingtoallowamessagetogetoutthatpeoplecancometoNauru,cometoAustraliaformedicalassistanceandthenthatwillbetheirticketoutintoAustraliansociety.Thatisnotgoingtohappen."

Canberrahaslongdefendeditshardlinepolicy,whichalsoincludesturningboatsback,sayingithaspreventeddeathsatseaandsecureditsborders.

UnderthepreviousLaborgovernment,atleast1,200peoplediedtryingtoreachAustraliabyboatbetween2008and2013.