ALLEGATIONS that hunger-striking Sri Lankan asylum seekers were treated with saline past its expiry date have prompted a renewed call from the Human Rights Commissioner that he be allowed to visit the detention centre on Nauru.
The asylum seekers emailed photographs of themselves being treated in hospital during last week's hunger strike, including a close-up of a saline bag with an expiry date of May 2007.
Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes yesterday said the allegation reinforced the need for an independent assessment of the detention centre on Nauru.
He wrote to Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews in May requesting access to the Nauruan offshore processing centre as part of his regular inspection of detention centres in Australia.
His request was denied on the grounds the commission had no jurisdiction.
"I don't understand what the problem is. I accept it is different from onshore centres but everyone benefits from an independent assessment," he said.
"I believe it's within our jurisdiction."
The Age was unable to obtain comment from the hospital.
Meanwhile, Mr Andrews said he would work with countries who take refugees to try to find homes for the 72 Sri Lankans on Nauru who were this week found to be genuine refugees.
"We will try and expedite this as quickly as we can," he told the ABC.
Refugee advocates had claimed the men could be left on Nauru after the Government announced they would not be allowed to settle in Australia.
Mr Andrews denied the men would be sent to the US under a contentious refugee swap program, which would see Cuban refugees from Guantanamo Bay be resettled in Australia.
"This is not a refugee swap with the US," Mr Andrews said.
