Commonwealth Ombudsman Allan Asher today confirmed his evidence at a Budget Estimates hearing this week that he must redirect resources from other work to be able to perform the important and expanding role associated with the rising number of asylum seekers held in immigration detention.

Mr Asher was responding to a statement made today by the Australian Greens’ Senator Sarah Hanson-Young about the adequacy of Ombudsman funding for immigration detention work.

This month the Government announced an additional $400,000 for both 2010-11 and 2011-12 for the Ombudsman to do this work, but the funding must be found internally and from existing resources.

‘Growing numbers of people in immigration detention mean a greater case review workload for my office and a need to conduct substantial and comprehensive enquiries into the consequences of incidents such as the March riots on Christmas Island,’ Mr Asher said.

To demonstrate the increased resource demands, the Ombudsman explained that in 2008, when his office took on oversight of the Refugee Status Assessment process, it was anticipated that there would only be about 100 Irregular Maritime Arrivals each year.  There are now more than 6,000 people in immigration detention.

‘Our inspections of immigration detention facilities, especially on Christmas Island, have highlighted other areas requiring further investigation and oversight by my office, such as the seemingly high incidence of self-harm and apparent suicides.

‘These are matters of critical importance and must be a priority for my office, which means setting aside other work and making tough decisions about what my office can realistically do within existing funding.’

Mr Asher noted that while it was pleasing many detainees had recently been moved off Christmas Island, this was creating other challenges for his office because several detention facilities are located in remote areas on the Australian mainland.

‘In some cases, I expect that we will start to see the kinds of problems that made the situation unsustainable on Christmas Island occurring elsewhere.

‘It is vital, therefore, that my office is able to continue to provide an appropriate and adequate level of oversight.

‘We must put our resources into mitigating the risk of further incidents like those that occurred recently on Christmas Island and at Villawood.  We must not return to the bad old days when Cornelia Rau and Vivian Alvarez were treated so appallingly,’ he said.

Media contact: Media 02 6276 3759

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Date of release: 27 May 2011

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      27 May 2011: More money needed for immigration detention oversight

      Commonwealth Ombudsman Allan Asher today confirmed his evidence at a Budget Estimates hearing this week that he must redirect resources from other work to be able to perform the important and expanding role associated with the rising number of asylum seekers held in immigration detention.

      Mr Asher was responding to a statement made today by the Australian Greens’ Senator Sarah Hanson-Young about the adequacy of Ombudsman funding for immigration detention work.

      This month the Government announced an additional $400,000 for both 2010-11 and 2011-12 for the Ombudsman to do this work, but the funding must be found internally and from existing resources.

      ‘Growing numbers of people in immigration detention mean a greater case review workload for my office and a need to conduct substantial and comprehensive enquiries into the consequences of incidents such as the March riots on Christmas Island,’ Mr Asher said.

      To demonstrate the increased resource demands, the Ombudsman explained that in 2008, when his office took on oversight of the Refugee Status Assessment process, it was anticipated that there would only be about 100 Irregular Maritime Arrivals each year.  There are now more than 6,000 people in immigration detention.

      ‘Our inspections of immigration detention facilities, especially on Christmas Island, have highlighted other areas requiring further investigation and oversight by my office, such as the seemingly high incidence of self-harm and apparent suicides.

      ‘These are matters of critical importance and must be a priority for my office, which means setting aside other work and making tough decisions about what my office can realistically do within existing funding.’

      Mr Asher noted that while it was pleasing many detainees had recently been moved off Christmas Island, this was creating other challenges for his office because several detention facilities are located in remote areas on the Australian mainland.

      ‘In some cases, I expect that we will start to see the kinds of problems that made the situation unsustainable on Christmas Island occurring elsewhere.

      ‘It is vital, therefore, that my office is able to continue to provide an appropriate and adequate level of oversight.

      ‘We must put our resources into mitigating the risk of further incidents like those that occurred recently on Christmas Island and at Villawood.  We must not return to the bad old days when Cornelia Rau and Vivian Alvarez were treated so appallingly,’ he said.

      Media contact: Media 02 6276 3759

      Follow the Ombudsman on twitter

      Date of release: 27 May 2011