Need for a genuine investigation detention

15 January 2006

A Just Australia, the national campaign group for refugee policy reform, today called on the Government to institute a genuine investigation of immigration detention matters.

With the Palmer and Ombudsman reports we found that the Department of Immigration had detained mentally ill Australian residents, as well as deported an injured Australian citizen. The investigation of another 200 cases by the Ombudsman looks like it will show up to another 60 cases of the unlawful detention of Australian residents, some of them mentally ill.

"If this is what has happened to Australian residents, just imagine the cases of unlawful detention and deportation of asylum seekers. If this 'new' immigration department is truly committed to making sure these issues don't happen again, they need to broaden the investigations to ensure the rights of all people were upheld, not just Australians." said Kate Gauthier, National Coordinator.

"Although we welcome the efforts to change the culture of the department, without any kind of disciplinary action taken against officials who overstepped the boundaries of law or basic human rights, the message is still there that this kind of behaviour is tolerated within a government department. Indeed, the former head of the department received a plum diplomatic posting overseas as a reward for his work during this period of unlawful detention and deportations. And without a full investigation into all aspects of deportation and detention, how can the department know what needs to be fixed?"

A Just Australia welcomes the government's approach to develop new ways of dealing with asylum seeker detention and processing, such as the pilot community program. "This is the kind of program that will help ensure that cases of wrongful detention are caught very early on. It's a more humane way of processing asylum seekers, and in the long run will be a lot cheaper in financial and human impact terms."

Media Enquiries: Kate Gauthier 0414 876 139