The Commission visited various immigration detention centres as part of the Inquiry.

The Commission was accompanied by various independent consultants including paediatricians and child psychiatrists. The following are some of the reports prepared by these consultants after their visits to immigration detention centres.

These expert reports do not represent the views of the Commission.

Visit to Christmas Island from 1 – 8 March 2014:

The Commission has long held serious concerns about the impact of Australia’s mandatory immigration detention system, particularly on children.

In 1999-2000 the numbers of children in detention began to significantly increase. In November 2001, when there were over 700 children in detention, Human Rights Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski announced an inquiry into children in immigration detention. The Inquiry published its report, A last resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, in April 2004.

Key Statistics:

• 983 children in immigration detention: 775 children are held in locked immigration detention facilities in Australian territories and 208 children are held in detention in Nauru (as at 31 May 2014)
• 304 children are detained on Christmas Island as at 31 March 2014 and are subject to offshore transfer to Nauru as prescribed by Australian Government policy
• 54 unaccompanied children are held in immigration detention facilities in Australia (as at 31 March 2014)

Please note: In accordance with the terms of the submissions process, the inquiry has:

• not listed below or published any confidential submissions; and
• in some cases, edited or not published (where an edited copy could not reasonably be published) the non-confidential submissions, in order to protect the identity of the authors, third parties, or where otherwise appropriate.

The Commission notes that the submissions listed below may contain errors. The submissions do not represent the views of the Commission.