As my first act as prime minister of this great nation I pledge to release all children from immigration detention.

Australian people,

As my first act as prime minister of this great nation I pledge to release all children from immigration detention.

This policy has been a stain on our character for far too long.

Putting children in an offshore prison has worked. As has taking away their human rights, their right to due process, to live their lives as children should.

But this is not a price we should make any child pay.

It's not a price any human being should pay.

While the policy of imprisoning children may disrupt smugglers, the criminalisation of the most vulnerable victims of war and oppression is anathema to our nation's character.

We proclaim to be the nation of the fair go.

We proclaim ourselves against violence towards women.

We hold our white balloons and say we want the assault of children to stop.

Yet we hold children, women, men in camps for years, behind veils of secrecy. Emboldening abusers to act with impunity. And when they are found out those abusers are sent back to Australia without prosecution. Quite possibly to abuse others.

As of today I am declaring an amnesty. For all those who arrived on our shores and have subsequently been sent away to rot elsewhere, we bring them home.

To the safety of our communities.

To a place they can call home.

And as of today we will embrace the relevant conventions, in our law and practice. For every company, citizen or government official who deals with these most vulnerable people I say to you, we will act with dignity, with fairness, and we will do everything to inspire a culture of acceptance and grace.

And let those who say otherwise spread their hatred elsewhere.

It is not welcome here.

Yours truly

Jessica Perini 

(on behalf of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull)