Controversial multinational Serco will no longer run Australia’s immigration detention centres after the Australian Government revealed the company was unsuccessful in its recent bid for a new contract (SMH report).
Under Serco’s 15-year watch, immigration detention facilities have been plagued by harmful and inhumane treatment of people detained.
Earlier this year, the Justice and Equity Centre settled a claim against Serco and the Australian Government for asylum seeker Yasir*. Over several years, Yasir was forced to wear handcuffs to access medical treatment, despite a Serco policy stating that handcuffs should be used only as a measure of last resort. Because of Yasir’s history of trauma, the use or threat of handcuffs triggered severe PTSD responses, including seizures, vomiting and shaking.
The actions of Serco guards put Yasir in a terrible position: having to choose between the trauma of handcuffing or being denied essential medical care. His physical and mental health both suffered as a result. Yasir’s Federal Court claim was settled on confidential terms, with Yasir feeling there had been some accountability for the treatment he had endured.
*Name changed to protect privacy
Quotes attributable to Grace Gooley, Senior Solicitor at the Justice and Equity Centre:
‘From our work with asylum seekers, we know too well that conditions in Australian immigration detention have been unnecessarily harsh and inhumane while Serco has been in control.
‘Serco is notorious for attempting to avoid scrutiny and accountability. Over 15 years, they’ve made large profits from Australian Government contracts while contributing to Australia’s failure to uphold its duty of care to the people it detains.
‘We’ve raised on-going concerns about Serco’s treatment of people in detention, highlighting over-use of force, failure to provide adequate medical care and faulty ‘risk ratings’ that doom detainees to relentless severe treatment.
‘We’re pleased Serco will no longer profit from overseeing an immigration detention regime that causes so much suffering. But that suffering will continue without sweeping reform of the entire system.
‘The Australian Government must use the opportunity of a change of contractor to address the toxic conditions that have caused so much human misery over so many years.’
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Media and Communications Manager, Dan Buhagiar: 0478 739 280
