Hundreds of Brisbane doctors are calling for the immediate release of children from detention centres.

They held a protest meeting following similar action down south.

But the Immigration Minister remains defiant.

Eden Richards reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Medical staff at Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital expressed their outrage in a rally outside the hospital.

They fear for the well being of over 200 children in detention centres on Nauru and the Australian mainland.

Dr Melanie Jansen, Clinical Ethics Fellow: “Children that we have treated here have had things like post traumatic stress disorder, self harm, suicide attempts, anxiety related bedwetting, developmental delays and failure to thrive.”

The medicos say they face an ethical and legal dilemma when they have to discharge children from hospital back into detention.

Dr David Levitt, Director of Pediatric Medicine and Dermatology: “It’s my personal opinion that it challenges our ethics.”

Earlier this month Melbourne doctors refused to discharge asylum seeker children.

Brisbane Staff have not made the same threat.

But it seems they hold similar views about children in detention.

Vox 1: “The government needs to close down Manus Island, close down Nauru”

Vox 2: “They should just free children out of detention centres, it’s pretty simple.”

But the government isn’t moved.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says he understands the doctors concerns but these detention centres are necessary to stop the boats and prevent child casualties.

So the health workers will continue their campaign to increase public awareness.

Vox 3: “Get the children out of detention. Give them a life. Bring them into a community where they can have a family.”

Eden Richards, QUT News.