A scathing report into the operation of immigration detention centres in Australia has highlighted escalating concerns over the use of force against detainees.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman issued the warning after monitoring detention centres over a six-month period from July to December last year.
In his report, Commonwealth Ombudsman Michael Manthorpe said the detention system continues to be plagued by shortfalls in its handling of detainees.
“Of particular note is our increasing concerns about the use of force in detention facilities,” his report reads.
“There appears to be an increasing tendency across the immigration detention network for force to be used to resolve conflict or non-compliant behaviour as the first rather than last choice.”
The report issues 12 recommendations – four relating to the use of force and eight others relating to monitoring of facilities, including the need for better signage to advise detainees of their right to access legal services.
Mr Manthorpe said he remains concerned about failures in privacy and mobility access within high security compounds, the management of complaints, use of restraints and length of detention faced by detainees.
“I remain concerned that people continue to be held for lengthy periods with, in some instances, no probability of being released in the foreseeable future,” he wrote in the report.
“Delays in resolving the immigration status of detainees place considerable strain both on detainees and their families.”
The report identified improvements have been made in a number of areas, ranging from the provision of welfare services as well as transport and escort tasks.
The Department of Home Affairs agreed with 11 out of 12 recommendations either in part or in full.
The exception was a recommendation for the department to make an apology to a complainant over an incident relating to the alleged use of excessive force.
Greens Deputy Leader Nick McKim said the watchdog's report reaffirmed the need for urgent reform of the immigration detention system.
"This is an absolutely scathing report that exposes the true brutality of life in immigration detention," he told SBS News.
"The department has a duty of care to these people, they are not in prison - this system should not be run in a punitive way to punish people."
The ombudsman’s findings follow an initial report published February this year which made 16 recommendations to improve the safety of detainees in immigration detention.
The department has agreed to 15 of the 16 recommendations of the previous report.
The latest report issued a progress update on these findings, including a determination that there had no "substantive improvement" in complaint management practices despite recommendations in relation to this.
It also observed no change in the Department's use of mechanical restraints following recommendations these should be limited as much as possible.
The office of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has been contacted for comment.
