System that wrongfully detains Australian citizens

System that wrongfully detains Australian citizens still in place

Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today described the Commonwealth and Immigration Ombudsman's report into the wrongful detention of and Australian citizen as 'depressingly familiar', and called on all parties to end the system of mandatory detention.

"This report details a story of neglect, incompetency, and systematic failure to treat a deeply unwell man with basic respect and dignity," Senator Nettle said.

"The problem here is with a system that locks up foreign sounding people on the flimsiest of assumptions, and then leaves them at the mercy of a heartless bureaucracy that keeps them locked up for months without taking obvious steps to establish their identity.

"So far the Minster has refused to take responsibility for the abuses of her department, and nor has anyone lost their job as a result of any of the numerous shocking cases of abuse and incompetence that dog the Immigration detention system.

"Their still remains key questions to be answered; why did the department do nothing for five months while Mr T was in Villawood.

"The Greens continue to call for the end to the mandatory detention regime which would eliminate the 'lock 'em up ask questions later' culture. At the very least there should be judicial review of the decision to detain as happens in the mental health and criminal justice systems.

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