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Human rights groups demand closure of Manus and Nauru after scathing Senate report Human rights groups demand closure of Manus and Nauru after scathing Senate report
(about 2 hours later)
Human rights and legal groups say a scathing Senate report on offshore processing and conditions inside detention highlights the government’s “wilful inaction”, and bolsters their calls for the closure of the Manus Island and Nauru centres. Human rights and legal groups say a scathing Senate report on offshore processing and conditions inside detention highlights the government’s “wilful inaction” and bolsters their calls for the closure of the Manus Island and Nauru centres.
On Friday the government released a report by the Senate committee on legal and constitutional affairs, which followed a seven-month inquiry into allegations of abuse on Manus and Nauru sparked by the Guardian’s publication of the Nauru files.On Friday the government released a report by the Senate committee on legal and constitutional affairs, which followed a seven-month inquiry into allegations of abuse on Manus and Nauru sparked by the Guardian’s publication of the Nauru files.
The report found the federal government’s offshore processing policy to be “disturbing” in its lack of accountability, and said the immigration department had “failed” to implement it in a safe and transparent manner. The report found the federal government’s offshore processing policy to be “disturbing” in its lack of accountability, and said the immigration department had “failed” to implement it in a safe and transparent manner.
The report said the government had to admit that it was in control of the centres, not the Papua New Guinea and Nauru governments, and that it had a duty of care to people it transferred​. “To suggest anything else is fiction,” it said. The report said the government had to admit that it was in control of the centres, not the Papua New Guinea and Nauru governments, and that it had a duty of care to people it transferred. “To suggest anything else is fiction,” it said.
The report made 12 recommendations including external audits of incident reports made during the contracts of service providers Broadspectrum and Transfield. It also recommended an increase in Australia’s refugee intake and an immediate review of the​ medical transfer process. The report made 12 recommendations including external audits of incident reports made during the contracts of service providers Broadspectrum and Transfield. It also recommended an increase in Australia’s refugee intake and an immediate review of the medical transfer process.
The committee’s majority report, was written by Labor senators and supported by the Greens, who called for a royal commission or at least a standing inquiry.The committee’s majority report, was written by Labor senators and supported by the Greens, who called for a royal commission or at least a standing inquiry.
The Human Rights Law Centre said “enough is enough”. The Human Rights Law Centre, which appeared before the inquiry, said “enough is enough”.
“For the last four years we’ve seen report after report confirming that these centres are harmful and fundamentally cruel. How much more evidence do we need?” said the centre’s director of legal advocacy, Daniel Webb, calling for every detainee to be immediately evacuated to Australia.“For the last four years we’ve seen report after report confirming that these centres are harmful and fundamentally cruel. How much more evidence do we need?” said the centre’s director of legal advocacy, Daniel Webb, calling for every detainee to be immediately evacuated to Australia.
“After four years of fear, violence and limbo, people are completely exhausted. Most were found to be refugees years ago. It’s well and truly time our government allowed them to get on with rebuilding their lives in safety.”“After four years of fear, violence and limbo, people are completely exhausted. Most were found to be refugees years ago. It’s well and truly time our government allowed them to get on with rebuilding their lives in safety.”
Amnesty International Australia, which also gave evidence at the inquiry, called on the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to immediately commit to bringing people to safety from Nauru and Manus Island.
“The evidence couldn’t be clearer. The Australian government has set up a deliberately cruel and inhumane system that is intended to make desperate and vulnerable people suffer,” said Amnesty’s national director, Claire Mallinson.
“With the release of this Senate committee report the government cannot possibly ignore the evidence of abuse. Ultimately there is no safe and humane way to administer offshore processing. It is designed to be cruel and to break people – and it must be shut down.”
Natasha Blucher, the detention advocacy manager for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, said it was “beyond comprehension that our government is continuing to inflict such grave suffering on people in this way”.Natasha Blucher, the detention advocacy manager for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, said it was “beyond comprehension that our government is continuing to inflict such grave suffering on people in this way”.
The ASRC said the government had overwhelming evidence and recommendations from multiple inquiries, but continued to demonstrate “wilful inaction” on addressing the “dangerous failure” of offshore processing.The ASRC said the government had overwhelming evidence and recommendations from multiple inquiries, but continued to demonstrate “wilful inaction” on addressing the “dangerous failure” of offshore processing.
“Previous reports of the committee have made recommendations relating to increased transparency and access to regional processing centres by media, support to police to ensure their effectiveness for protection of people in the regional processing centres, the construction of permanent infrastructure rather than keeping people in tents, and the removal of children from regional processing centres as a matter of priority,” said the organisation.“Previous reports of the committee have made recommendations relating to increased transparency and access to regional processing centres by media, support to police to ensure their effectiveness for protection of people in the regional processing centres, the construction of permanent infrastructure rather than keeping people in tents, and the removal of children from regional processing centres as a matter of priority,” said the organisation.
“The ASRC is still seeing a serious lack of safety in regional processing centres, intense secrecy and lack of media access, and cruel and inhumane living conditions. Children remain in the regional processing centres on Nauru.”“The ASRC is still seeing a serious lack of safety in regional processing centres, intense secrecy and lack of media access, and cruel and inhumane living conditions. Children remain in the regional processing centres on Nauru.”
Shayne Neumann, opposition spokesman for immigration, said the ball was “firmly in the Turnbull government’s court”.Shayne Neumann, opposition spokesman for immigration, said the ball was “firmly in the Turnbull government’s court”.
“Labor has made clear our commitment to offshore processing, regional resettlement and boat turn backs, when safe to do so, because we know it saves lives,” he said.“Labor has made clear our commitment to offshore processing, regional resettlement and boat turn backs, when safe to do so, because we know it saves lives,” he said.
“We want refugees out of offshore processing centres and resettled into third countries, but while they are living in Australian funded offshore processing centres, Australia has an obligation to ensure they are not subjected to any harm or violence.”“We want refugees out of offshore processing centres and resettled into third countries, but while they are living in Australian funded offshore processing centres, Australia has an obligation to ensure they are not subjected to any harm or violence.”
Neumann said every refugee in the camps should be eligible to apply for US resettlement, and that no one receiving medical care in Australia should be forced to return to the islands in order to apply.Neumann said every refugee in the camps should be eligible to apply for US resettlement, and that no one receiving medical care in Australia should be forced to return to the islands in order to apply.
The Senate inquiry was called in September following the Guardian’s publication of the Nauru files, a cache of more than 2,000 internal documents detailing life inside the Nauru centre and including allegations ​ of assault, child abuse, self harm and suicide attempts. The Senate inquiry was called in September following the Guardian’s publication of the Nauru files, a cache of more than 2,000 internal documents detailing life inside the Nauru centre and including allegations of assault, child abuse, self harm and suicide attempts.
In a dissenting report, Coalition senators dismissed the inquiry entirely as “a politically motivated public-relations stunt on the part of Labor and the Greens designed to tarnish the success of the Coalition’s strong border protection policies by inference and hearsay”.In a dissenting report, Coalition senators dismissed the inquiry entirely as “a politically motivated public-relations stunt on the part of Labor and the Greens designed to tarnish the success of the Coalition’s strong border protection policies by inference and hearsay”.
During one of the inquiry hearings, Queensland senator and committee deputy chair, Ian Macdonald dismissed the Nauru files as mostly “trifling at best” while also admitting he had not read them.During one of the inquiry hearings, Queensland senator and committee deputy chair, Ian Macdonald dismissed the Nauru files as mostly “trifling at best” while also admitting he had not read them.