The Hidden Men: A Report to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship on Visits to the Curtin Immigration Detention Centre

Curtin IDC in remote northwest Australia was first opened in September 1999. It was closed three years later in September 2002. The IDC was re-opened in June 2010 to hold adult male asylum seekers and now detains the largest number of asylum seekers in Australia. It is a high security centre that is surrounded by two large fences that are electrified. The service provider contracted to operate the IDC is the private company, Serco Australia. This report highlights a range of issues of concern that were evident during our five visits to Curtin I DC. These are not the only issues of concern at this detention centre but are those that were most visible during the visits. The most important concern is the level of despair among the men detained at the centre. During our most recent visits {15-18 September and 10-13 November 2011) this level of despair was acute for many of the men we spoke with during these four day periods. We hold grave concerns for the mental health of many of these men, particularly those who have been in detention for many months, and urge the Australian Government to arrange for their immediate release from Curtin I DC. As at the middle of November we note that a number of Curtin IDC detainees have been relocated to Pontville IDC in Tasmania. This has done little to alleviate their uncertainty and wellbeing. Closely related to the issue of despair is the lengthy delays in claims processing. Every man we met during our every visit cited the waiting for news of their refugee claim as their major source of anguish, and the inconsistencies evident within the process. Other issues of concern visible during our visits relate to periods of crowded accommodation, limited recreation opportunities, extremely limited opportunities for communications with those outside of Curtin IDC, the location of the centre in remote northwest Australia and the prison-like physical conditions, and the day-to-day management of the centre by Serco. The mandatory detention policy that allows for the incarceration of asylum seekers who arrive by boat until their claims have been finalised, is the root cause of most of the despair at Curtin I DC. As outlined by the concerns raised in this report, the practice of mandatory detention constitutes severe systemic abuse and is punitive in nature. Mandatory detention must be abolished. Asylum seekers arriving by boat must be allowed to live in community settings with resources and supports that allow them to live a decent life while they wait for their refugee claims to be processed. A staged release of people from immigration detention centres must begin immediately and be completed within months for the sake of the mental health of detainees, and all long-term detainees provided with permanent visas on mental health grounds.