House of Representatives Committees

Contents

Foreword
Membership of the Committee
List of abbreviations
List of recommendations

Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Key issues identified by the ANAO

Appendix A: List of witnesses
Appendix B: Submissions
Appendix C: ANAO Recommendations

Foreword

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) has been subject to intense scrutiny this year. There have been various independent reports and internal reviews undertaken into aspects of the Department’s immigration detention function. The Committee notes that the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into the administration and operation of the Migration Act 1958, which includes an examination of the outsourcing of management and service provision at immigration detention centres, and the adequacy of mental health care and other services provided to people in immigration detention. This report is expected to be tabled in December 2005.

The Committee did not wish to duplicate the work of these wider inquiries. However, the tabling of Audit Report No. 1, 2005-2006, Management of the Detention Centre Contracts – Part B provided an opportunity for the Committee to undertake a focused examination of certain aspects of DIMIA’s detention centre contract management.

The Committee commends the Australian National Audit Office’s rigorous and detailed work already undertaken and continuing. The Committee also welcomes the openness with which DIMIA has been willing to engage in discussions.

The Committee is hopeful that action to date and the range of initiatives planned will address many of the problematic aspects of the management of the detention centre contracts, including DIMIA’s ability to put in place performance information and monitoring systems to ensure that detainee needs and agency responsibilities are met. The Committee will continue to monitor developments in this area.

 

Don Randall MP

Chairman


Membership of the Committee

Chair

Mr Don Randall MP

 

Deputy Chair

Senator Linda Kirk

 

Members

Senator Andrew Bartlett

Senator Stephen Parry (from 1 July 2005)

 

Senator Alan Eggleston

Dr Andrew Southcott MP

 

Mr Laurie Ferguson MP

Mr Tony Burke MP (from 6 September to 11 October 2005)

 

Ms Julia Irwin MP (from 2 December 2004 to 10 May 2005, and from 11 October 2005)

Mr Roger Price MP (from 10 May to 6 September 2005)

 

Mr Michael Keenan MP

Senator Tsebin Tchen (to 30 June 2005)

 

Hon Dr Carmen Lawrence MP

 

Committee Secretariat

Secretary

Ms Joanne Towner

Inquiry Secretary

Ms Paola Cerrato-D’Amico (until 9 September 2005)

Ms Kate Tubridy
(from 9 September 2005)

Research Officer

Ms Samantha Mannette

Administrative Officer

Ms Jazmine De Roza

List of abbreviations

ACM

Australasian Correctional Management

ACS

Australasian Correctional Services

ANAO

Australian National Audit Office

DIMIA

Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs

DSC

Detention Services Contract

GSL

Global Solutions Limited ( Australia) Pty Ltd

IDC

Immigration Detention Centre

IDF

Immigration Detention Facility

IDS

Immigration Detention Standards

IRPC

Immigration Reception and Processing Centre

MOU

Memorandum of Understanding

PIP

Palmer Implementation Plan

PPO

Palmer Programme Office

VFM

Value-for-Money

List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that DIMIA act promptly to develop and implement the changes required to improve the insurance, liability and indemnity regime associated with its detention function.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs refer the progress report on the Palmer Implementation Plan to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration for examination when released.

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