CANBERRA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government agreed to let a seriously ill girl, who was being held in offshore detention, into the country.
The young girl, whose name and age cannot be reported due to privacy matters, was suffering from acute mental illness and had been on Nauru Island with her parents for several years.
A case was brought to the Federal Court by the National Justice Project on Wednesday evening, as the organization sought an order for the girl and her family to be brought to Australia.
Just before the hearing, the government agreed to move the girl to Australia with the transfer set to take place "on or about Friday of this week."
The current government policy is to stop all boats carrying asylum seekers, and turn them back to their country of origin. Those asylum seekers who do make it to Australian shores are taken to detention camps at Nauru, Christmas or Manus islands -- as part of Australia's "Pacific solution."
Australian courts have consistently ruled that Australia has a duty of care to protect and treat asylum seekers in offshore detention.
In another case, which was heard on Tuesday, the Federal Court ordered a two-year-old girl on Nauru, who had suffered from an inflammation of brain called encephalitis, be brought to Australia for testing and treatment.
"Children's lives are at risk on Nauru and it is just a matter of time before one dies or is seriously harmed. If that happens, Australia is responsible," George Newhouse, the principal solicitor with the National Justice Project, said.
"The health of refugees and asylum seeker families is rapidly deteriorating, particularly the children's mental health."
