Welcome to the Darwin Asylum Seekers Support and Advocacy Network 
We support and advocate for asylum seekers in detention in Darwin and beyond. 
All people who support Asylum Seekers are welcome to join us.

DASSAN end of year cards

Photos of new Wickham Point Immigration Detention Centre ( now open)
DASSAN Gives Evidence to Parliamentary Committee on Australia’s Immigration Detention 

Network Representatives of DASSAN on 26 September appeared before the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Immigration Detention Network. DASSAN told the Committee, which includes Greens Senator Sarah Hanson Young and Shadow Minister for Immigration Scott Morrison, that its members regularly visit people in detention who are suffering from serious depression and other mental illnesses as a result of prolonged indefinite mandatory detention. DASSAN urged the Committee to recognise that mandatory detention is inherently harmful and that processing asylum seekers in the community is a more cost-effective and humane policy.

The Committee was told that DIAC and SERCO are failing the approximately 800 asylum seekers detained in Darwin by not providing adequate mental health services and recreational activities within the detention centres. DASSAN also expressed its concern that the current problems at the Northern Immigration Detention Centre will be compounded by the imminent opening of the detention centre at Wickham Point, which is located 35km south-east of Darwin and has previously been found to be unfit for human habitation due to a severe and unbearable insect problem and a moderate risk of Ross River virus.     

The Committee is conducting an comprehensive inquiry into Australia's Immigration Detention Network, including its management, resourcing, potential expansion, possible alternative solutions, the Government's detention values, and the effect of detention on detainees. The Committee is expected to report by March 2012.

find DASSAN's submission here 
CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER - DASSAN BLOG PAGE
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DASSAN BLOG

DASSAN Press Release
27th January 2012:

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Genuine Refugees Rot in Detention as a Result of Draconian Laws
Four genuine refugees, one Rohingyan and three Tamils, are currently left rotting in the Northern Immigration Detention Centre, as a result of negative security assessments from the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (“ASIO”).The men cannot be deported to their home country and are unlikely to find a third country in which they can reside.

Darwin Asylum Seeker Support and Advocacy Network (“DASSAN”) spokesperson, Fernanda Dahlstrom said “the men have not been told why they have been issued with a negative ASIO assessment...


For media comment: Fernanda Dahlstrom, DASSAN – 0415184856.

READ MORE HERE!


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Thank you !

All of DASSAN's work is done by volunteers and there are a bunch of amazing people who have worked incredibly hard over the past year.  Special thanks to Carl, Rohan, Al, Beth, Kirsty, Fernanda, Emma, Cat, Tim, Hayley, Zac, Habib and David.

Many organisations support our work as well - in particular thank you to: 
Jane and Joan at Red Cross, Melalueca Refugee Centre, DCLS, NT Working Women's Centre, NTCOSS, Viva La Body, The Groove, The Railway Club, Bishop Hurley and the Catholic Diocese, Nightcliff Uniting Church, Darwin Uniting Church, My Sisters Kitchen, John Toohey Chambers, MyNT, MCNT, SVDP, ASRC, ASCI, ChilOut, Volunteering SA/NT, and NAPCAN

and of course all of you!!  who visit, write letters to people in detention, politicians and newspapers, talk to people about this issue, come to public events and do so much more. 

thank you !!


NEWS FLASH!

_Member for Solomon, Natasha Griggs Attempts to Whip up Hysteria in Relation to Assault Allegations
As some of you may have seen, allegations have been made in the press that an asylum seeker assaulted children in a Darwin swimming pool. The allegations are very serious and no charges have yet been laid.  Unfortunately, our representative in Canberra, Natasha Griggs, has used this as an opportunity to whip up community hysteria in relation to asylum seekers and has hit the national airwaves calling on asylum seekers to be banned from public swimming pools. (see MP seeks to stop some asylum seeker excursions)  Ms Griggs has previously stated in Parliament that asylum seekers are contributing to Darwin’s housing shortage, people in Darwin fear asylum seekers because they riot on people’s front lawns and housing asylum seekers, mostly women and children, at the Darwin Airport Lodge is a security risk as they are near an airport.

We now have hundreds of Darwin people on our mailing list and this is a great opportunity to let Ms Griggs know what you think of her attempts to whip up hysteria on this issue. Please send Ms Griggs an email and let her know what you think of her attempts to whip up community fear and hysteria on this issue:  Natasha.Griggs.MP@aph.gov.au. You can call her office on (08) 8981 3434.