The Wire

In the weeks leading up to the federal election, debate over asylum seekers has again captured public attention, with both major parties promising to take tough action to reduce the numbers. But refugee rights advocates criticize the language used in these debates, which is based around numbers and population pressures, rather than humanitarian issues. Now, Australia’s peak Nursing organisation is now calling for an increased focus on refugee and detainee healthcare access. The Royal college of Nursing says health issues will remain a major problem regardless of changes in government policies.