Fed: Questions asked of Immigration over Burundian boy's death=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2005
Fed: Questions asked of Immigration over Burundian boy's death=2

Multicultural Affairs Minister John Cobb later said Richard's father told the caseworker
who met them no one in the family was sick or needed to see a doctor.

"Far from being abandoned upon arrival, the family has been provided with extensive
support and assistance, including extensive medical treatment and case management from
the refugee health clinic and the Fairfield hospital," Mr Cobb said.

"This tragedy is a rare and highly unusual circumstance and it would be most unfair
and unwise to draw conclusions from it at this time.

"The department views any and all complaints about service provision seriously and
will investigate any that are lodged with it."

Mr Cobb said refugee settlement services had always been outsourced, and the only thing
that had changed recently was the tendering process and awarding of the contract to a
new service provider.

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KEYWORD: ACL N/L 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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