22 Mar 2015

Greens call on former minister to apologise for Nauru sackings

6:57 pm on 22 March 2015

The Australian Greens says the former Immigration Minister Scott Morrison must apologise for his role in the wrongful sacking of ten charity workers on Nauru.

An 86-page review was ordered by Mr Morrison to investigate allegations of assault of asylum seekers, and allegations against the charity Save the Children.

Save the Children staff were ordered to leave Nauru by the immigration department in October, after a three-page security report alleged the staff had encouraged protests and self-harm.

But the new review found no information to substantiate these claims.

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young Photo: AFP

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says Mr Morrison caused the firing of Save the Children staff on bad information and went on to accuse them of terrible things.

The senator says he should apologise and the Abbott government needs to explain how they will make it up to the employees.

Senator Hanson-Young says Mr Morrison wants to wash his hands of the issue like he washed his hands of assaults carried out against women and children on Nauru.

She says it's the culture of secrecy, the staff gag clause and the media blackout that has allowed abuse to fester in the Nauru camp.