Is This The Way We Treat Children With Disability?

I'm a Scout leader, and at the beginning of this year, I spent three weeks in a tent in Queensland.

It's not entirely easy going, living in a tent. Dirt and wheelchairs don't love each other. You can't sleep much past five am, certainly not in the summer, because the heat and humidity is untenable. Three weeks was a pretty long time - and most of my time was spent in an air conditioned office with access to amenities.

That's why I read this story with abject horror.

We want to do 'what' to a four year old severely disabled child?

This is a photo of Nauru, where this child will be sent for offshore processing. Aid agencies describe the conditions as 'deplorable'.

As an Australian, I am wholly ashamed that we treat our disabled citizens so poorly. But imagine the outrage we would feel if our government response for accommodation of OUR children were in these conditions?

I look at the picture above, and it reminds me of a 1940s prison army camp.

Do something. Now. It will take only a few minutes of your time. Write to your newspaper. Write to Scott Morrison at scott.morrison.mp@aph.gov or tweet him at @ScottMorrisonMP. But do something, if you can.

We are all diminished as Australians by such barbaric acts of cruelty. It must make our resolve even stronger to keep fighting for justice together. - Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

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