AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTRES

Australia's immigration detention policy was introduced in 1992, and has been maintained by successive governments. It currently has bipartisan support in Parliament. The Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs administers the immigration detention function on behalf of the Australian Government. The following publications discuss the experiences of asylum seekers in Australian detention centres, and highlight issues and complexities within the system

Commonwealth Ombudsman, Report of an Own Motion Investigation into the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs' Immigration Detention Centres, March 2001

Following complaints, reports of alleged incidents and alleged assaults, the Commonwealth Ombudsman conducted an investigation into the management and operation of Immigration Detention Centres. This summary report includes information on; the legislative framework of detention centres; an overview of the investigation; women and children at risk; long term detention; moral and cultural issues; and health and security issues.

This report examines two main issues. Firstly the grounds for holding immigration detainees in prisons, and secondly, whether the policies and procedures established by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs are being followed in practice.

Flood, Philip Report of Inquiry into Immigration Detention Procedures, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, February 2001.

The Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs appointed Philip Flood to undertake an independent inquiry into procedures at Australian immigration detention centres. This inquiry reports on: legislative framework; detainee population; contractual arrangements; incident reporting system; problems with current processes; systematic problems at Woomera; possible separation of women and children; and performance aspects of contract with ACM.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Report of an Inquiry into a Complaint of Acts or Practices Inconsistent Human Rights in an Immigration detention Centre, HRC Report No. 12, November 2000.

This report deals with complaints by two Chinese asylum seekers detained at Port Hedland Immigration Reception and Processing Centre from June 1996.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Report on the Human Rights Commissioner's Visit to Curtin Immigration Reception and Processing Centre in July 2000.

This report documents the Human Rights Commissioner's observations of Curtin Immigration Reception and Processing Centre. These observations are compared with the international minimum human rights standards.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Report of an Inquiry into a Complaint of Acts or Practices Inconsistent With or Contrary to Human Rights in an Immigration Detention Centre, HRC Report No. 10, May 2000.

This report investigates complaints of acts and/or practices that allegedly occurred within Perth Immigration Detention Centre.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Immigration Detention Guidelines, March 2000.

These guidelines cover standards for immigration detention relating to: information; privacy; contacts with the outside world; religion; education; work and recreation; food; accommodation, clothing and bedding; transport and removal; detainees' property; health care services; mental care services; selection and training of staff; discipline and punishment; and the use of force.

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Immigration Detention: Human Rights Commissioner's 1998 - 99 Review, Australian Government Publishing, 1999

This report reviews the conditions and treatment of detainees after the transfer of detention centre management from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs to Australasian Correctional Management (ACM).

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