The forum will discuss the situation of children of asylum seekers in Australia's offshore processing centres, mainland detention centres and community detention.

It will provide an opportunity to hear from a panel of people working in the field of asylum seeking and human rights as well as gain knowledge of what life is like in Australia's offshore processing centre at Nauru.

Hosted by the recently formed Amnesty International Berry Local Action Group, the forum is supported through Amnesty International Australia.

Entry is free, with a gold coin donation optional and afternoon tea will be served.

The forum comprises a keynote address, a panel presentation and moderated Q&A.

Panel members have been drawn from the fields of health, law, child rights, human rights and ethics.

The panel will present information on the current situation as well as engage in a moderated Q&A.

As keynote presenter, Mark Issacs will give an account of his time as a Salvation Army worker in the Nauru Offshore Processing Centre as set out in his book The Undesirables.

Panel members will include Amnesty International Australia community organiser Bede Carmody; Dianne Hiles, AM, from ChilOut – an organisation which seeks to increase public awareness about what is happening to children inside Australia's immigration detention facilities; Justin Whelan from Uniting Justice Australia; UNSW’s Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law research associate Madeline Gleeson, former World Health Organisation educator and Berry local Bill Pigott.

“Despite very welcome moves to release children from detention from Christmas Island prior to Christmas 2014, there remain 135 children in detention in very poor conditions on Nauru,” Berry Amnesty Local Action Group’s Susan Locke said.

“There is also a large number of asylum seeker children in Australia whose long term future is uncertain due to the arrangements applying to their parents’ bridging visas.

“In addition, the new arrangements for assessment of asylum seeker claims under the new Australian government legislation as passed in December 2014 are not well understood by the general public.

“The asylum seeker and refugee issue has become complex and the public forum is an opportunity for community members to gain information on the issue and clarify their understanding of Australia’s response.”

The public forum is being held at the Uniting Church Main Hall, 77 Albert Street, Berry, starting at 2pm.

Attendance is open to all community members.

People are advised to arrive a little earlier, especially if they wish to buy Mark’s book The Undesirables, which book will be on sale.

More information about events and Amnesty Berry Local Action Group can be found at berryamnesty.happenings.id.au.