Friday, 19 January 2007
Substantial improvements, but it's still detention
Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes AM has today welcomed improved staff attitudes to detainees inside mainland immigration detention centres, but reiterated the call for Australia's mandatory detention laws to be repealed.
Releasing the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's (HREOC) Summary of Observations following the Inspection of Mainland Immigration Detention Facilities report covering visits from 22 October - 22 November 2006, Commissioner Innes said that unlike visits in previous years, most detainees had no complaints about staff attitudes or the way they were treated.
"It is clear to us that the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) has gone to great lengths to improve the approach and attitude of staff towards detainees in immigration detention centres over the last year," Commissioner Innes said.
"There have been substantial efforts to improve the physical environment, reduce the tension levels, enhance the programs and activities available to detainees and improve mental health services. DIMA and the detention services provider (GSL) also seem more open to requests, suggestions and concerns voiced by detainees."
However, Commissioner Innes said that despite efforts to improve the environment inside detention facilities the fundamental problem with immigration detention has not changed - the length of detention and the uncertainty about how much longer that detention will last. The report also identified a range of areas in which improvements could be made within detention facilities.
"These visits confirmed the already well-known mental health impact of detention. Mental health remains a priority for those in detention, even those who've been locked-up for a short while," Mr Innes said.
"Detainees are still held in detention for too long. We would like to see DIMA put more effort into transferring people out of detention into residential housing centres, alternative detention in the community and residence determinations for most, if not all people detained over three months.
The Commission has played a continuing role in monitoring the conditions in detention centres from a human rights perspective over many years. Detainees can make complaints to the Commission under the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act if they believe their human rights have been breached.
The Summary Report of Observations following the Inspection of Mainland Immigration Detention Facilities can be found online
Media contact: Paul Oliver 02 9284 9880 or 0408 469 347
Last updated 19 January, 2007
