Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

The senator is obviously concerned about these issues, as is the government. The government is providing, as I have already indicated to the Senate, a higher level of support for detainees, including on questions of mental health support, at a superior rate to that in the past and it remains commensurate with that available in the broader Australian community. The government does have a duty of care and is exercising that duty of care by providing the necessary support to ensure that detainees are given proper medical support. We are concerned and we provide advice through health experts such as the Detention Health Advisory Group to ensure that detention health policies for people in immigration detention are informed by evidence and based on the very best practice available.