New Poll: Australians Really, Really, Really Want Kids Off Nauru

After a week where thousands rallied against the government’s immigration policy and the two major parties bartered back and forth on a New Zealand settlement plan, a new poll suggests that 79 percent of Australians want kids removed from detention on Nauru.

The Sunday Telegraph-commissioned YouGov Galaxy survey reveals that 60 percent are in favour of strong border protection laws. Of the 1027 voters polled, 44 percent said if the Coalition backed the New Zealand resettlement plan their vote would remain unchanged.

Over a third of young Australians said it would make them more likely to vote for the government, and 61 percent of that same demographic said we have a moral obligation to find permanent accommodation for children on Nauru.

Labor and the Coalition have gone tit-for-tat this week over a policy that would see up to 150 refugees resettled in New Zealand. Prime minister Scott Morrison wants to block those resettled from ever coming to Australia, and Labor is willing to favour the deal if the government removes “all children and their families from Nauru to New Zealand”.

In a letter sent to the government early last week, shadow immigration minister Shane Neumann continued:

“We trust you have been engaging already with the New Zealand government on arrangements to move vulnerable asylum seekers as soon as it becomes possible to do so.”

"It's the humanity side of it they're struggling with. What do you do with these people who have been on Nauru for five years? And for the kids, it's heart breaking." the panel discuss the latest Galaxy Poll on the situation on Nauru. #auspol #insiders pic.twitter.com/hYYYjMEhit

— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) October 27, 2018

The government has fought tooth and nail in court on almost every plea to remove medically ill children on Nauru from seeking mainland aid. But in a turnabout, they have pushed in recent weeks to evacuate children: Morrison says that 30 children have been removed from Nauru this month, and refugee advocates say that 15 children have left the offshore detention centre this week.

52 children remain on the island.

Singer Jimmy Barnes headlined Saturday’s nation-wide rallies against the offshore detention program, which saw 1,000 Sydneysiders and around 500 Melbournians turn out against the government.

People are living in detention with no hope,” Barnes said. “With no future, nothing to live for, nothing to strive for, nothing to dream about.”

“It’s criminal.”