The Australian government has been accused of failing to screen Africans for diseases and of being responsible for African gangs in Sydney

Andrew Clennell:

THE Premier, Morris Iemma, has accused the Federal Government of failing to adequately screen African refugees for diseases and of indirectly being responsible for gangs of young African men forming in Sydney.

The Premier made his accusations yesterday after it was revealed some refugees were spending up to 12 months in an African refugee camp after an initial health screening by the immigration department before travelling to Australia, leaving open the chance they could arrive with communicable diseases.

The independent upper house MP, David Oldfield, said if people were not worried about themselves, then they should "think about their children, or grandchildren".

"Who are they at school with?" Mr Oldfield said on Channel Seven news. "Who might bite them, who might spit on them?"

Mr Iemma said people were being put at risk of contracting tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, measles, intestinal parasites and clinical rickets.

He also blamed the lack of English language lessons and Medicare cards for African asylum seekers on bridging visas as partially responsible for causing crime problems.

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