I have experienced Australia’s detention policy first-hand — it’s time to end it

There are no excuses left for treating people’s lives as chips on a poker table – leaders must end this shameful chapter in Australia’s history, writes Elahe Zivardar

A police officer stands by a slogan on the wall outside the Park Hotel, used as an immigration detention hotel. Picture: AP Photo/Mark Baker

The world’s attention was focused on Australia’s immigration detention regime in January when a wealthy athlete got a court challenge to his detention. Novak Djokovic was ultimately released and sent home, with the court affirming the minister’s decision to cancel his visa because of his stance on Covid vaccines. But still 32 men languish in the Park Hotel, each of them desperate to leave.

Australia successfully “stopped the boats”, but it forgot that there were people on those boats whose lives they stopped with them. These same people have been suffering for nearly nine years, unable to move on with their lives, unable to find peace of mind, stability or certainty.