Government 'backed into a corner' over asylum seekers, says former Bakhtiari guardian

The government's decision to allow a family of asylum seekers to temporarily live in Perth was less about "compassion" and more about being "backed into a corner", says a former guardian of another high profile asylum-seeker family deported nearly two decades ago. Key points: The guardian to asylum seekers deported to Pakistan in 2004 said the publicity in that case may have affected their settlement hopes in Australia He said Australia's majority attitude towards immigration policy meant the government felt it had to retain a resolute attitude towards asylum seekers The former chief justice who ruled child asylum seekers be returned to detention in 2004 said it was a painful decision ultimately directed by the rule of law Former Centacare Catholic Family Services director Dale West was the guardian to child members of the Bakhtiari family for about 18 months in 2003 until the family's deportation to Pakistan in 2004. Respecting rights is 'not compassion' Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on Tuesday said he had made a "compassionate" decision to allow the Murugappan family — in detention since 2018 — to live together in Perth temporarily in order to access health support for their four-year-old daughter. Ali was later placed into immigration detention after the government claimed he was actually a plumber from Pakistan, but a Family Court ruling released the five Bakhtiari children into Centacare's charge during August 2003.