Interhealth

Jim Sharp, Part-time consultant. Ex-Director and Vice-president of Amnesty International

Refugee health in Australia

Refugee policy in Australia has come under critical review by political parties, international humanitarian organisations and the public. Jim Sharp is currently the vice president of Amnesty Australia and he has particular interest in refugee health. His lecture will address and examine the recent changes as well as proposed plans by the Australian government in response to refugees, as well as looking into the history of refugee policy in Australia. Mr Sharp will also talk about experiences of newly arrived refugees and his own work with various volunteering organisations that provide aid and support to refugees.

Dr Carmen Lawrence, Professional Fellow with the School of Psychology at the University of Western Australia

Mental Health and Refugees

Long-term detention of asylum seekers not only violates their human rights, it is damaging to their health. A growing body of health professionals has voiced their concerns for the deteriorating health and well being of detainees, many of whom experience depression, mental anguish, trauma and psychological damage in detention.

Many asylum seekers have sought refuge in Australian because they are the victims of torture and persecution, fleeing human rights abuses, often leaving their families behind. Others have seen family and friends killed by brutal regimes and are still grieving their losses. Some come from war zones. Such experiences are known to be predictive of later serious mental illness and such people are particularly likely to be harmed by further detention, especially if they are confronted by the possibility of deportation if their applications fail. (Lawrence, C. Mental Illness? What Mental Illness. Mental Health and Human Rights Conference. 2004. NSW Parliament House.)

This week Dr Carmen Lawrence from the School of Psychology at UWA will address mental health issues affecting refugees in Australia.