Daughter decries asylum policy

Kirsty Ruddock, 30, left the country last week to work as a volunteer in a developing country.

Before she left, Ms Ruddock told the ABC's Australian Story programme, which was to be aired on Monday, that she found it difficult to reconcile the values her father had taught her, with his policies.

Philip Ruddock is at the forefront of an approach to asylum seekers which has been staunchly criticised by international human rights groups.

Australia automatically detains all illegal immigrants and former detainees have complained of inhumane conditions at the remote detention camps.

Differing approaches

Ms Ruddock, a lawyer, told ABC: "Very much I am motivated by wanting to go and live and work in a developing country...

"But another reason behind leaving... is to get away from what I see very much as the daily grind in terms of reading about the politics that my father is involved with..."

She said she was particularly disturbed by the mandatory detention of immigrant children.

"What upsets me is that he can't take a more compassionate approach to some of these issues," she told the programme.

"Obviously, you know, I love my dad but I do find it very difficult... that you can't change his view on things...

"I also find it hard to reconcile some of those things he is doing at the moment with some of the things he's taught me to believe in."

But in the programme - a portrait of Mr Ruddock - the immigration minister said he was proud of his daughter.

"I don't expect my family to be parrots. She is a tenacious, competent lawyer. I am proud of the fact that she does care."