Harry Jenkins (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I wish to seek clarification from the parliamentary secretary. He has spoken about the review of detention centres and the decisions that have been made on the basis of that review and then indicated that he did not feel that there was any direct need to have a further review. The difficulty with that is that there were decisions made about a refit of Maribyrnong. That was on the basis that there was to be, down the track, a facility in the city of Hume. There have been decisions about works to be done at Villawood. They have now been shelved. I do not think it is really good enough if we just retreat at this stage and not do something about it. The Maribyrnong facility has had a chequered career. The works to be carried out are a minor improvement.

I have not had the opportunity to visit Villawood, but, by its reputation, there is obviously a great need for work there. And it is not just about the physical infrastructure. Stories and allegations that have appeared in the media about incidents—especially those currently occurring at Villawood—indicate that we really do need to look at the expressed aim of the department to treat those in detention centres humanely. It is about not just the physical infrastructure but the social infrastructure and the way these detention centres operate as communities. I have had to conclude that, regrettably, the detention centres are very badly run prisons. I am sure that correctional facilities are run better than detention centres at certain stages. I am concerned that, because some decisions that arose out of the previous review have been shelved, we are not going forward and we are not doing the right thing by people who end up in detention centres.

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