Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020

August 2020

© Commonwealth of Australia 2020
ISBN: 978-1-76093-095-0

View the report as a single document:

View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Members

List of recommendations

Chapter 1—Introduction

  Introduction
  Conduct of inquiry
  Acknowledgements
  Structure of this report
  Purpose of the bill
  Key provisions of the bill
  Background
  Financial impact
  Note on references

Chapter 2—Key issues

  The need for the bill
  The role of ministerial discretion
  Mobile phones in immigration detention facilities
  Expanded search and seizure powers
  Constitutional concerns
  Protections and oversight
  Committee view

Labor Party Senators' dissenting report

  Background
  How will this be done?
  The status of people in immigration detention
  Is this legislation needed to handle the situations described by the Government?
  Is the sweeping nature of this Bill required or should measures be more targeted to certain categories of detainees?
  Mobile phones
  Opportunities for Parliamentary oversight.
  The Government’s inconsistent approach to risky behaviour
  Reliable and Consistent Data
  Guards’ identification
  APODs – Alternative Places of Detention
  Cost of SERCO services
  The Government ignores Parliament’s concerns
  Recommendations

Australian Greens dissenting report

  Immigration detention centres
  Detainees
  People detained under section 501
  Risk assessments
  Existing powers
  Proposed powers
  Powers unjustified
  Lack of oversight
  Mobile phones
  Social media
  Access to legal representation
  Access to families and support networks
  Good order in immigration detention
  Accountability and freedom of political expression
  Human/legal rights
  Timing of bill
  Conclusion
  Recommendation

Appendix 1—Public hearing

Appendix 2—Submissions and additional information

Committee Secretariat contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 3560
legcon.sen@aph.gov.au

About this inquiry

The bill amends the Migration Act 1958 to allow the Minister to classify things, such as drugs and mobile phones, as ‘prohibited’ in relation to immigration detention facilities and detainees. The bill also includes a new statutory search power.



Past Public Hearings

03 Jul 2020: Canberra

more...