Nauru detention centre operator received allegations of abuse

Transcript

The operator of the Nauru detention centre has received 67 allegations of child abuse, either at the hands of staff or other asylum seekers.

It says five detainees have also reported being asked for sexual favours in exchange for contraband items.

Transfield Services has been operating the facility as a contractor for the Australian government.

They've just provided information to the Australian senate inquiry which is looking into allegations of sexual assault, abuse and neglect at the detention centre.

Bridget Tunnicliffe has been looking at those answers.

KOROI HAWKINS: One of the main questions that senators wanted answered was figures around child abuse allegations, what are Transfield saying?

BRIDGET TUNNICLIFFE: They say there were 67 allegations of child abuse, 30 of those were against staff and 37 involved allegations against other asylum seekers. So the perpetrators comprised parents, minors against other minors, and allegations by minors against adult asylum seekers. Now Transfield has taken a broad approach to what might be considered "child abuse", so those numbers include allegations of any kind of physical abuse including shoving, pushing and grabbing, inappropriate physical contact, and regardless of whether or not medical treatment was required. Transfield says it first received a report of child abuse in November 2013 and all allegations had been referred to the Immigration Department.

KH: How many allegations of sexual assault or rape?

BT: Transfield says it's received 33 allegations of sexual assault and rape, about half of those complaints are against staff. The allegations include verbal threats of sexual assault, inappropriate touching, and inappropriate advances. Fifteen of the alleged incidents were against staff, the others involved allegations against other asylum seekers. Transfield hasn't been able to confirm how many of those 33 complaints were for rape. But it does refer to the first allegation of rape it received (as outlined in the Moss Review) to be an incident reported in August last year. The rape was alleged to have been carried out by a fellow asylum seeker. The allegation was fully investigated by the Nauru Police Force Domestic Violence Unit but it advised the Department of Public Prosecutions, that the case be closed due to insufficient evidence. Transfield hasn't been able to provide a breakdown as to the number of ex-pat and local staff implicated in these complaints. The company says it first received an allegation of this type in November 2013.

KH: What about reports of detainees being asked for sexual favours in exchange for contraband items?

BT: Yes, well Transfield says there have been five allegations, which were also reported to the Department. Four of those involve allegations against staff and one against a fellow asylum seeker. Transfield says they received their first report of an allegation of this nature in January last year.

KH: Why is this information coming to light now?

BT: Well back in May, managers of the detention centre were questioned by the Australian senate inquiry looking into allegations of sexual assault, abuse, and neglect at the detention centre. Accounts of sexual assault and squalid living conditions at the centre were revealed in submissions to the inquiry. But many questions from senators failed to elicit direct responses, with Transfield managers taking them "on notice" - meaning they would be answered later. The senators weren't impressed - at the time the inquiry's chair, Alex Gallacher, told Transfield's chief executive of operations, that the lack of knowledge to key questions was 'extraordinary'. So Transfield went away, got the information and now they've provided those answers.

KH: What prompted the senate inquiry in the first place?

BT: The inquiry was launched after the release of the Government-commissioned independent Moss Review, which detailed assaults of asylum seekers by guards and staff. At the time Immigration Minister Peter Dutton criticised the inquiry, saying the allegations had already been examined in the Moss review and its recommendations had been accepted. The Review recommended the Nauruan government and the Immigration Department overhaul how abuse claims are handled. And in terms of what's the next step - the Senate agreed to an extension of time to report back on the 31 July 2015.