The political brawl over children in detention has reached a new low, with Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton trading personal insults over the case of a five-year-old girl set to be returned to Nauru from Darwin.
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Mr Dutton on Thursday described statements by Senator Hanson-Young as "repugnant" after she accused the minister of "torturing" the girl, who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Her PTSD is apparently the result of experiences inside the Australian-run detention centre. A report by Save the Children found she was displaying sexualised behaviour on Nauru.
Mental health experts have recommended the girl be housed in the community with her family but government officials have warned them they will be returned to Nauru.
In a letter to Mr Dutton, Senator Hanson-Young claimed the girl, who is with her parents inside the Wickham Point detention centre in Darwin while her father receives medical treatment, has also engaged in acts of self-harm, suffers nightmares, depression and extreme anxiety.
"I request that you heed the advice of experts and ensure that this child does not endure another day in detention. Continuing the child's detention in these circumstances will only result in further harm being caused," Senator Hanson-Young wrote.
She later told ABC: "The minister is torturing this little child and I don't use those words lightly. We know that the detention has caused these issues for her. Her mental health has deteriorated."
Mr Dutton responded with venom.
"That's a repugnant statement, even beneath Sarah Hanson-Young, particularly given that 1200 people died at sea while the Greens were in government with Labor."
Figures released by the Immigration Department last week show that there are now 227 children in mainland and offshore detention.
The total population of Nauru is 718 and there are 989 all-male detainees on Manus Island.
Nearly 45 per cent of the total population has spent more then 12 months in detention.
An independent review into sexual abuse inside Nauru, released in March, found evidence of rape, sexual assault of minors and guards trading marijuana for sexual favours from female detainees.
The Moss Review highlighted evidence of Nauruan guards at the detention centre trading sexual favours for marijuana and cigarettes and children being touched inappropriately.
