Leonora Detention Manager Ignored Guard Behaviour Concerns

Leonora Detention Manager Ignored Serco Guard Behaviour Concerns

January 27, 2011

Refugee Rights Action Network activists reveal that several staff and medical workers at the centre had complained to Serco manager Denise Alexander about the behaviour of a particular guard towards detainees and fellow staff.

On their previous visit in August of last year advocates who visited the centre saw, and were told, about bullying, aggressive, insensitive and inappropriate behaviour by some Serco guards at the centre. RRAN witnessed guards yelling at refugees, denying toys to children and intimidating detainees. Fathers told activists at the time, and in subsequent communications, about about verbal abuse, derogatory comments, and threats against detainees to have their visa claims turned down if they complained. Then immigration minister Chris Evens was informed of some of the concerns and allegations that detainees had revealed to RRAN activists but dismissed them.

Leonora Detention centre contains a great many torture and trauma survivors, many with shrapnel still embedded in their bodies as they have fled active war zones. This vulnerable group of families deserves the highest level of compassion and care, however the isolation and growing culture of dehumanisation is resulting in a rise of verbal abuse and demonisation by some staff. RRAN has been informed by compassionate staff that they have felt forced to resign because of the culture of abuse that is developing at the centre.

One guard in particular has been mentioned to us by name by some parents and other staff, as a notable offender in this regard.

The allegations against this guard include bullying, yelling at parents in front of their children, mocking mentally ill or suicidal detainees by calling them "nutters", commenting on the breast size of female detainees, sexually harassing a female colleague who was forced to leave as a consequence, mocking detainees, punishing detainees for no reason, and intimidating detainees.

RRAN was aware of these allegations prior to our visit over the weekend of January 22-23. We ensured over the course of the weekend police and center management were aware that we had received complaints about this particular guard's abusiveness towards families.

We let Serco know this had come from families held in the centre as well as colleagues of the guard.

We have since been informed that several staff members at the centre expressed their concerns to Denise Alexander, and yet this person, who has been employed in Australia's detention system for over 10 years, is still allowed control over vulnerable children and their parents.

Refugee Rights Action Network calls for a full investigation into the allegations against this Serco employee, suspension of pay, and his immediate removal from vulnerable detainees in this remote centre. We further demand a public explanation as to how complaints by professional medical and mental health workers regarding a particular guard's behaviour could be ignored.

That guards woking in this system can blatantly and deliberately mock and humiliate detainees with no repercussion, underscores RRAN's assertion that Leonora is an entirely inappropriate facility for vulnerable and traumatised families. Mental Health experts across the country have made it clear to the government that detention of asylum seekers is a harmful and inappropriate practice that must end. The damage done to people by detention cannot be undone. These families should be immediately placed into the community where their special needs can be met and they are no longer at risk of further abuse.

It should be of serious concern to all decent Australians that it falls to ordinary citizens to travel many hundreds of kilometres in the blistering heat to ensure that the public is aware of the abuse of human rights now occurring at centres like the one at Leonora.

The Indefinite mandatory detention with out charge or trial of Asylum Seekers is proven to be harmful to refugees. When compounded by a culture of bullying and intimidation it is criminal.

ENDS

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