The Claim
“Remained unapologetic about 10 mothers trying to commit suicide. The mothers hoped that their orphan children would be freed from torturous asylum seeker prisons and cared for.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
In July 2014, reports emerged of multiple asylum seeker mothers on Christmas Island expressing suicidal intentions. According to Guardian Australia, nine asylum-seeker mothers were placed on suicide watch following reported self-harm attempts [1]. Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thomson stated the women "believe that if they sacrifice themselves the children will grow up to learn they did the best thing for them, to give them the chance to live in Australia" [1].
The government confirmed "a series of 'minor self-harm incidents'" at the Christmas Island detention centre, while disputing the scale of suicide attempts [2]. Senator Eric Abetz stated reports from refugee advocates were "overblown" and characterized the incidents as "a small number of minor self-harm incidents" where those involved were receiving "proper and appropriate medical and other support" [2].
Prime Minister Tony Abbott responded to the reports by stating his government would not be subjected to "moral blackmail" and declared the policy would not be held "over a moral barrel" [2][3]. Abbott said: "If true, it is a harrowing tale... but this is not going to be a government which has our policy driven by people who are attempting to hold us over a moral barrel. We won't be driven by that" [2].
Missing Context
The claim omits critical context about Australia's offshore detention policy and its bipartisan history:
Bipartisan Policy Origins: Australia's offshore detention policy was not unique to the Coalition government. It was first implemented in 2001 by the Howard government (Coalition) as the "Pacific Solution" but was re-established in 2012 by the Gillard Labor government through the Migration Amendment (Regional Processing and Other Measures) Act 2012, which reopened offshore processing facilities in Nauru and Manus Island [4]. The policy initially had bipartisan support from both Liberal and Labor parties when first introduced [4].
Labor's Continuation: The Rudd government (Labor) attempted reforms but ultimately maintained and expanded offshore processing. In 2013, Kevin Rudd announced that asylum seekers arriving by boat would be sent to Papua New Guinea for processing and resettlement—the "PNG Solution"—which maintained the same fundamental policy framework of offshore detention [5].
Policy Rationale: The government's stated justification for the hardline approach was deterrence—preventing dangerous boat journeys that had resulted in hundreds of deaths at sea. The Coalition's "Operation Sovereign Borders" policy continued the offshore detention framework with the stated goal of stopping people smuggling and preventing drownings.
Comparative Context: The claim presents this as a uniquely Coalition policy issue, but the underlying detention conditions and policy framework were established and maintained by both major parties. Both Labor and Coalition governments faced similar reports of mental health crises and self-harm in detention facilities throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Source Credibility Assessment
WAtoday (Original Source): WAtoday is the digital platform for The West Australian newspaper, a mainstream metropolitan daily newspaper based in Perth. It is generally considered a credible news source without strong partisan alignment, though like all media, it has editorial perspectives. The specific article cited was a factual news report about the suicide attempt reports [6].
Additional Sources Consulted:
- The Guardian Australia: Generally left-leaning editorial stance but factual reporting
- ABC News: Public broadcaster with statutory obligation to impartiality
- Human Rights Commission: Independent statutory authority that documented conditions in detention
The original source appears credible as a mainstream news outlet reporting on events that were independently confirmed by multiple sources including the Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs [2].
Labor Comparison
Did Labor do something similar?
Yes. Labor governments maintained and expanded offshore detention policies:
2012 Reopening: The Gillard Labor government re-established offshore processing in Nauru and Manus Island in 2012 after the High Court had previously struck down the "Malaysia Solution" [4].
PNG Solution (2013): Kevin Rudd announced that no asylum seekers arriving by boat would be settled in Australia, instead being sent to PNG for processing and resettlement there [5].
Children in Detention: Reports of children and mothers suffering mental health issues in detention occurred under both governments. The Australian Human Rights Commission's 2014 report on children in detention documented cases across multiple years spanning both Labor and Coalition administrations [7].
Detention Conditions: The "torturous" conditions referenced in the claim were not unique to the Coalition period. Independent reports, including from the Human Rights Commission and UN bodies, documented serious concerns about detention conditions under both Labor and Coalition governments [7][8].
Scale Comparison: Both parties implemented fundamentally similar policies of mandatory detention and offshore processing. The primary difference was rhetorical—the Coalition was more publicly strident about border protection, while Labor attempted to frame their policies with more humanitarian language while maintaining similar operational frameworks.
Balanced Perspective
Criticisms of the Coalition Response:
Critics, including refugee advocates and the Greens, argued the Coalition's response was callous. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young stated: "Mothers contemplating harming themselves, sacrificing their own lives in desperation of giving their children a future. This is an appalling human rights situation" [2]. She rejected Abbott's "moral blackmail" characterization, saying "it is a little hard to succumb to moral blackmail when you're already morally bankrupt" [2].
Human rights organizations documented serious mental health concerns in detention facilities. A leaked report obtained by Guardian Australia revealed that most pregnant women in detention on Nauru were suffering depression [1].
Government Justification:
The government maintained that:
- Those involved were receiving "proper and appropriate medical and other support" including mental health nurses, counsellors, psychologists and psychiatrists [2]
- The hardline policy was necessary to deter dangerous boat journeys that had caused deaths at sea
- Changing policy in response to self-harm would create perverse incentives
- The reports were potentially "overblown" by refugee advocates
Tony Abbott's Position:
Abbott's "moral blackmail" comment represented the government's stance that policy decisions affecting national borders should not be dictated by individual acts of desperation in detention. While critics viewed this as cruel, the government framed it as necessary resolve to maintain a policy they believed was saving lives by deterring dangerous sea voyages.
Key Context: The mental health crisis in detention facilities was a systemic issue spanning both Labor and Coalition governments. Both parties maintained offshore detention policies that independent experts consistently found harmful to mental health. The claim's framing of this as a uniquely Coalition issue ignores the bipartisan nature of Australia's offshore detention policy and its documented harms under governments of both parties.
PARTIALLY TRUE
5.0
out of 10
The core factual elements are accurate: reports of approximately 10 mothers expressing suicidal intentions on Christmas Island in July 2014 were confirmed by multiple sources including the Human Rights Commission president. The Coalition government, through Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, did maintain its policy stance without apology, with Abbott explicitly stating the government would not be subjected to "moral blackmail."
However, the claim is misleading in its framing. It presents this as a uniquely Coalition failure when:
- The offshore detention policy was re-established by the Labor government in 2012
- Similar reports of mental health crises and self-harm occurred under Labor's management of detention facilities
- Both parties maintained fundamentally similar policies of mandatory detention
- The characterization of the facilities as "torturous asylum seeker prisons" reflects advocacy language rather than neutral description
The claim omits the bipartisan nature of the policy and the fact that detention conditions raised similar concerns under Labor governments.
Final Score
5.0
OUT OF 10
PARTIALLY TRUE
The core factual elements are accurate: reports of approximately 10 mothers expressing suicidal intentions on Christmas Island in July 2014 were confirmed by multiple sources including the Human Rights Commission president. The Coalition government, through Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, did maintain its policy stance without apology, with Abbott explicitly stating the government would not be subjected to "moral blackmail."
However, the claim is misleading in its framing. It presents this as a uniquely Coalition failure when:
- The offshore detention policy was re-established by the Labor government in 2012
- Similar reports of mental health crises and self-harm occurred under Labor's management of detention facilities
- Both parties maintained fundamentally similar policies of mandatory detention
- The characterization of the facilities as "torturous asylum seeker prisons" reflects advocacy language rather than neutral description
The claim omits the bipartisan nature of the policy and the fact that detention conditions raised similar concerns under Labor governments.
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (8)
-
1
theguardian.com
Group of women willing to sacrifice themselves to give children best chance to live in Australia, says local leader
the Guardian -
2
abc.net.au
The Federal Government has confirmed what it describes as a series of "minor self-harm incidents" at the immigration detention centre on Christmas Island. Refugee supporters say nine mothers have attempted suicide this week in the hope their orphaned children would be able to live in Australia. A separate woman is also understood to have tried to take her life. However, the Government's Leader in the Senate Eric Abetz says the reports from refugee advocates are overblown. "A small number of minor self-harm incidents have recently occurred and those involved are receiving proper and appropriate medical and other support," he said.
Abc Net -
3
abc.net.au
The Prime Minister says asylum seeker policy will not be held "over a moral barrel" by the attempted suicide of people being held in detention. Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs has confirmed 10 women have tried to kill themselves at the Christmas Island detention centre. Refugee advocates say the women are concerned because their children are sick, and have asked to be sent to Nauru to escape the conditions on Christmas Island. But a conflicting report from Fairfax suggests the women attempted suicide in the expectation their then-orphaned children would be settled in Australia.
Abc Net -
4
numberanalytics.com
Numberanalytics
-
5
refugeeaction.org.au
Refugee Action Coalition | Refugee Action Coalition Sydney (RAC) is a community activist organisation campaigning for the rights of refugees in Australia since 1999. -
6
watoday.com.au
There are reports that up to 10 asylum seekers, all believed to be mothers, being kept on Christmas island have attempted to commit suicide on Christmas Island in the past two days.
WAtoday -
7
abc.net.au
The Australian Human Rights Commission has just returned from Christmas Island, where there has been a distinct deterioration since our previous visit. Children and their families are plagued by despair and helplessness at the seemingly endless period of detention. A number of young mothers are on 24-hour suicide watch. These conditions raise concerns that Australia risks serious violation of its fundamental obligations at international law to protect asylum seekers without discrimination.
Abc Net -
8
en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.