Damon Mcknight
Australia has a number of immigration detention facilities, both onshore and offshore, which are used to hold people who are detained under Australia's immigration policy of mandatory detention. These include the Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre, the Manus Regional Processing Centre, and the Nauru Regional Processing Centre. The practice of offshore detention has been criticised for its high financial and human costs, with thousands of people suffering mental and physical damage during their time in the centres.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who are detained | People who have overstayed their visa, breached their visa conditions, had their visa cancelled, or have been refused entry at Australia's entry ports. |
| Irregular maritime arrivals claiming asylum without passports, identity papers, or valid entry visas. | |
| Under the Migration Act 1958, people arriving in the manner stated above are classed as unlawful non-citizens and are subject to mandatory detention. | |
| Types of detention centres | There are three kinds of immigration detention facilities within Australia. |
| There are also offshore regional processing and detention facilities. | |
| Alternative Places of Detention (APODs) are for detainees who are of minimal risk to the community. | |
| Who runs the detention centres | The detention centres are privately operated and run by the company Serco, which has a contract with the Department of Home Affairs. |
| Criticisms | There have been riots and escapes, as well as accusations of human rights abuses from organisations such as Amnesty International, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and Human Rights Watch. |
| The practice of offshore detention has been criticised for its very high financial and human costs, with an estimated 12 billion dollars spent on offshore detention. |
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What You'll Learn
Who is detained in Australian detention centres?
Australia's Migration Act 1958 classes those who overstay their visa, breach their visa conditions, have their visa cancelled, or are refused entry at Australia's entry ports as "unlawful non-citizens", detaining them in immigration detention centres. This includes asylum seekers without passports, identity papers, or valid entry visas, who are subject to mandatory detention. Since 1992, Australia has made it mandatory to detain anyone without a valid visa until they are issued one or removed from the country. This law applies equally to adults and children.
In 2002–2003, a Sri Lankan man was recognised as a refugee by Australia but received an adverse security assessment from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). He was detained in an offshore centre on Manus Island from 2013 to 2017 and elsewhere in Papua New Guinea until 2019. In 2014, the Human Rights Commission published a report, The Forgotten Children, into children in Australian detention, both onshore and on Christmas Island, covering the period from January 2013 to September 2014. The report criticised the treatment of children in immigration detention, although the HRC was barred from inquiring about the condition of children in offshore detention on Manus Island and Nauru.
As of 31 July 2025, there were 965 people in Australian detention facilities, including 907 men and 58 women. This number has decreased significantly from its peak of 10,201 in July 2013. The average period of time for people held in detention facilities has increased over the past decade, reaching 553 days as of May 2020. Some individuals have been held in detention for over ten years.
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Human rights abuses and mental health
Australia operates a mandatory immigration detention regime, which is considered one of the strictest in the world. Under this system, any non-citizen without a valid visa must be detained, and they can only be released if they are granted a visa or removed from the country. This regime has been in place since 1992 and has resulted in prolonged periods of detention for many individuals, including children.
The Australian government has faced criticism and accusations of human rights abuses from various organisations, including refugee advocates, Amnesty International, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations. One of the main concerns is the indefinite detention of refugees and asylum seekers in offshore centres, particularly in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. These facilities have been characterised by poor conditions and limited access to basic necessities like clean water, and there have been reports of violent clashes. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment has stated that Australia bears responsibility for the treatment of individuals in these centres, as they are held there solely due to Australia's policies.
The Australian Border Force Act 2015 has also drawn criticism as it made it a crime for offshore detention workers, excluding medical staff, to reveal abuses committed against asylum seekers. This law, combined with the recent decision to forbid detention staff from reporting on abuses, has likely contributed to Australia's low scores on freedom of expression and opinion. The Australian government's treatment of Indigenous people and its policy of detaining asylum seekers in harsh conditions have also been identified as factors affecting its human rights performance.
The harsh conditions and prolonged detention have had significant impacts on the mental health of asylum seekers in Australia. Research has revealed high rates of psychiatric disorders among children and their parents in detention centres. Psychiatrists and other medical professionals have spoken out against the compromised care and deleterious effects of detention conditions, risking potential prosecution. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has even updated its guidelines for psychiatrists working in these settings. Despite attempts to undermine their findings, medical experts continue to play a crucial role in publicising the mental health consequences of Australia's harsh immigration policies.
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Onshore vs offshore detention centres
Australia's onshore and offshore detention centres have been found to breach international human rights standards. There are no time limits on how long a person can be kept in immigration detention onshore or offshore, and detention is often prolonged and arbitrary, causing serious negative impacts on the mental and physical health of detainees.
Onshore Detention Centres
Onshore detention centres are located within Australia, including on Christmas Island. People who arrive in Australia without a valid visa will be detained in these centres. Onshore detention has been found to have a substantial impact on the mental health of detainees, with high rates of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. There are also longstanding concerns that Australia's mandatory and indefinite immigration detention regime for children severely impacts their mental health.
Offshore Detention Centres
Offshore detention centres are located in other countries, such as Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. People who arrive in Australia by sea without a valid visa will be transferred to these centres for processing. Offshore processing was employed as a deterrent to send the message that illegal boat arrivals are not welcome in Australia. The conditions in offshore detention centres have been criticised as inhumane and a breach of human rights, with issues such as overcrowding, insufficient water supply and sanitation, high temperatures and humidity, and inadequate healthcare. The cost of offshore detention is also significantly higher than onshore detention, with annual costs exceeding $1 billion AUD.
Both onshore and offshore detention centres in Australia have been found to have detrimental impacts on the health and wellbeing of detainees. The indefinite nature of detention and the breach of human rights standards are common concerns across both types of centres. However, offshore detention centres have faced additional criticism for their inhumane conditions and higher costs.
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Detention centre locations
Australia's detention centres are located both onshore and offshore. Onshore detention centres are located in various parts of the country, including Perth, Kununurra, Albany, Wyndham, Dowerin, Walpole, Warburton, and Roebourne in Western Australia. Offshore detention centres have been located on Christmas Island, Manus Island (Papua New Guinea), and Nauru.
The locations of these centres have been a source of controversy, with some being operated by private contractors such as G4S, Broadspectrum (formerly known as Transfield Services), and Canstruct International. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has criticised Australia's detention policies, and there have been accusations of human rights abuses and incidents of violence at certain facilities.
The Manus Regional Processing Centre in Papua New Guinea was the site of a violent clash in October 2013 between the local army and police hired for security. Similarly, the Nauru Regional Processing Centre has faced allegations of beatings, racial slurs, and sexual assaults. These centres have also faced operational challenges, with the number of unauthorised arrivals exceeding the capacity of existing Immigration Reception and Processing Centres (IRPCs) at Port Hedland and Curtin.
Alternative Places of Detention (APOD) have also been established in various locations, including hospitals, rented accommodations, and community arrangements, to accommodate those in immigration detention. These APODs can be located in different parts of Australia and Christmas Island.
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Detention centre operators
Australia's immigration detention facilities are used to detain people who have overstayed their visas, breached their visa conditions, had their visas canceled, or been refused entry at Australia's entry ports. This includes asylum seekers without passports, identity papers, or valid entry visas, who are classed as "unlawful non-citizens" under the Migration Act 1958 and are subject to mandatory detention.
The management of these detention centres has been a source of controversy, with various private companies being awarded contracts despite their troubling track records. Until 2003, most facilities were operated by Australasian Correctional Management (ACM), a subsidiary of G4S, under contract from the Department of Immigration. ACM exited the market in 2003, and G4S continued to manage a large number of facilities until 2009. In 2009, Serco Australia was awarded a five-year contract to manage these centres. The Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre, previously operated by G4S, is now run by Serco as of April 2019.
The offshore processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island were operated by Broadspectrum (formerly Transfield Services) with security subcontracted to Wilson Security and later by Canstruct International. The new centres in Lorengau have security provided by the Paladin Group.
In 2023, the Albanese government awarded a $422 million contract to the US private prison operator Management and Training Corporation (MTC) for the management of immigration detention on Nauru. MTC has been criticized for its serious failures in the United States, including neglect of detainee medical care, excessive use of solitary confinement, and violent incidents. Despite this, the Australian government committed to a $2.3 billion deal with MTC to run Australia's onshore immigration detention network, drawing criticism from human rights advocates and refugee organizations.
The prolonged periods of detention have been characterized by frustration and insecurity, causing further damage to individuals, especially those who have fled human rights abuses. The average time spent in detention is over 495 days, and there are currently 989 people in immigration detention facilities across Australia.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian detention centres hold people who have overstayed their visa, breached their visa conditions, or have been refused entry at Australia's entry ports. This includes asylum seekers without passports, identity papers, or valid entry visas.
Conditions in Australian detention centres have been criticised by organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations. Journalists are forbidden from entering the centres, and there have been accusations of human rights abuses, riots, and escapes. The prolonged detention periods have been described as damaging to the mental and physical health of detainees.
Alternative Places of Detention (APODs) are for detainees who pose a minimal risk to the community. APODs can include hospital accommodation, rented accommodation in the community (such as hotel rooms or apartments), schools for minors, aged care facilities, or mental health facilities.
Immigration detention in Australia is governed by the Migration Act 1958, which mandates the detention of people without valid visas. However, Australia has also ratified the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which obligates the government to grant the right of entry to those fleeing persecution and seeking asylum.
