Inspections of temporary immigration accommodation in Adelaide and Perth have prompted the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to call for improvements to ensure Australia complies with international human rights obligations.
In its inspections of the Adelaide Immigration Transit Accommodation (AITA) and Perth Immigration Detention Centre (PIDC), the Commission noted that they were small facilities, each with a maximum capacity of fewer than 50 people.
“They are intended to be used for short-term detention, such as in cases where a person is due to be rapidly removed from Australia,” the AHRC said.
“During both inspections, however, the Commission documented cases in which people had been detained at the AITA and the PIDC for prolonged periods of time, including in some cases for a year or more.”
It said the AITA and PIDC were not appropriate facilities for people who were likely to be in detention for extended periods.
“The Commission was particularly concerned about the circumstances of a small number of vulnerable individuals detained at the AITA and the PIDC, including people with serious health issues requiring a high level of care,” the AHRC said.
“While acknowledging the efforts of facility staff … the Commission considers that a detention facility is simply not a suitable environment for managing the care of people with significant vulnerabilities.”
It said it did not identify major or systemic concerns regarding the provision of health care at the AITA, although a new policy prohibiting all mobile phone use might restrict access to external communication to a greater degree than was necessary.
The AHRC said the recent use of mechanical restraints at the PIDC in circumstances where restraints had previously been deemed unnecessary might have at times been excessive.
“Accommodation, living areas and exercise facilities at the PIDC are generally small and cramped, with limited outdoor space,” it said.
The AHRC made recommendations for improving Australia’s compliance with international human rights obligations relating to immigration detention.
Its 30-page report on Adelaide’s AITA can be accessed at this PS News link and the 35-page report on Perth’s PIDC can be accessed here.
