The profile that the Junkee website published in November on Christian activism may be replicated by other media outlets after Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed on Thursday that the babies of asylum seekers can stay in Australia instead of being deported to Nauru. According to Mr Morrison, the babies will be with their immediate families during the processing period of their refugee claims.
In total, there are 31 babies who have been allowed to wait with their loved ones in Australia after a deal was struck with crossbench senator Ricky Muir. Mr Morrison explained that the deal is a "special one-off arrangement" that solely applies to those refugees who were transferred from Nauru to Australia before December 4, 2014.
Mr Morrison told the media in an official statement that the arrangement includes the babies' mothers, fathers and siblings—"that is, around 80 family members, all of whom are already in Australia having been transferred from Nauru, for the birth of their child." Mr Morrison further explained that those who are deemed to be refugees under Ausralia's asylum seeker legislation will either receive a temporary protection visa or a safe haven enterprise visa—permanent protection visas are not an option.
The announcement was made after the Christian asylum seeker activist organisation, Love Makes A Way, conducted numerous sit-in protests throughout the year in the offices of Australian Members of Parliament (MPs). Love Makes A Way declared a national day of action on December 12, leading to the arrests of Christian leaders in Perth, West Australia.
While Senator Muir agreed that the affected families will be relieved by the certainty provided by the deal, he added that he is still concerned "for the children and families that are currently on Nauru and Manus Island", and plans to bring the matter up with Mr Morrison early in the new year.
Thursday's agreement comes after Mr Morrison oversaw significant reforms to Australia's immigration laws in early December, including an increase in the number of refugee places to 7,500, bridging visas for asylum seekers so that they can work, and the removal of all children from the Christmas Island offshore processing facility.