The Guardian 15 February, 2006
Detention centre slave labour
The Federal Government is turning a blind eye to the use of illegal, cheap labour by two of
its contractors in immigration detention centres. In a case currently before the Supreme
Court, Alan Clifton, a former operations manager at Woomera detention centre in South
Australia, gave evidence of Australasian Correctional Management paying detainees the
equivalent of $1 an hour to work in the kitchens, despite being contracted to supply enough
properly paid staff of its own.
The revelation follows confirmation by the Department of Immigration that around 20 detainees in
Villawood detention centre in Sydney were being used as cheap and possibly illegal labour by
Delaware North Australia.
Both companies have contracts with the Commonwealth Government to provide enough staff to
carry out such services. Using detainees to undertake such work is a possible breach of the
Immigration Act.
"The Department knows detainees work in the Villawood kitchens and food halls under the
supervision of Delaware North Companies and are paid in cigarettes and telephone cards", said
Unions NSW Deputy Assistant Secretary Chris Christodoulou.
"But it refuses to acknowledge Delaware North's opportunity to make enormous profits from the
situation at the taxpayers' expense."
Mr Christodoulou received a letter from Villawood detainee Motahar Hussein complaining about his
and other detainees' working conditions. Based on information provided by Mr Hussein and by the
Department, Unions NSW believe Delaware North could be pocketing upward of $500,000 a year
in saved wages for catering services alone.
Mr Clifton's evidence is part of an action by a 10-year-old former Woomera and Villawood detainee
who is suing the Federal Government for damages after suffering serious and ongoing
psychological damage while in detention.