Objective: To describe the author's experience of visiting Christmas Island and Nauru offshore detention centres as a visiting child and adolescent psychiatrist in the context of his own experience as a refugee from Europe after WWII. Method: Following a visit to Nauru the author wrote to the Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition expressing his objections to the policies of recent Coalition and Labor Governments. Results: His actions have led to the author not being invited to return to these centres as a visiting psychiatrist. Conclusions: The author acknowledges the importance of stopping the boats and proposes that a more humane approach is needed for asylum seekers who arrive by boat. © 2015 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Mental health Asylum seekers Government policy

refugee Australia mental health human psychiatrist Refugees Nauru ethnology Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia human rights asylum seeker Humans psychology leadership legislation and jurisprudence migration government Emigration and Immigration psychiatry public policy