A human rights lawyer says the Australian Government's detention of children in asylum seeker camps is tantamount to torture.
Greg Barns and independent MP, Andrew Wilkie, have written to the International Criminal Court asking it to investigate Australia's treatment of asylum seekers.
Mr Barns says Australia's off-shore detention centres on Nauru and PNG's Manus Island are far worse than any Australian prison and something must be done.
Photo: AAP
"The point has been reached where there is just no movement within Australia on these issues. Australia has been subject to enormous international embarrassment - rightly so - it remains unmoveable and that is why we say the only way to uphold international law and ensure Australia's compliance with international criminal law is to go to the International Criminal Court."
Australian human rights lawyer, Greg Barns.
The request to the ICC comes as Australia makes moves to transfer refugees from Nauru to Cambodia after signing a resettlement agreement.