There is never a reason to lock up young kids, to deprive them of hope – Richard Di Natale
Greens Senator for Victoria Richard Di Natale addresses a question from Michael:
“Earlier this month, barely 3 kms from where we’re sitting tonight, a Tamil refugee named Leo committed suicide by setting himself on fire; he was terrified of being sent back to his homeland and the fate that awaited him when he got back to Sri Lanka.
“My 13yo and 10yo sons asked me how a young guy like that could be driven to take such horrific and devastating act. And I really struggled to give them any sort of remotely satisfactory answer.
“I’m interested to know from the politicians on the panel, what do you think are the lessons that as a nation — not as parents, but we as a nation — are teaching our kids about things like compassion, about being caring for victimised and marginalised people and about being a good global citizen, given that both major parties have very similar asylum seeker policies?”