February 2025
The Commonwealth National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) Ombudsman Iain Anderson has stated that several areas of Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre in the remote town of Northam, about 95km northeast of Perth, are not satisfactory. This follows a review in June 2024 that found there was limited access for detainees held in the centre's high-security area to lines of communication and timely information. They also did not have the same access to facilities, programs and activities available to the general population compounds.
The Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre, which is controlled by the Australian Border Force and where 29 of CARAD’s clients are currently being held, was found to be holding detainees in a cell known as a soft room that lacks a toilet, sink and running water. The use of a soft room is prohibited in the Immigration Detention Network.
Between 180 - 200 males are currently detained at Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre, with at least 29 of these held at the facility for more than six years.
The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) provided a response to the findings, stating it has deep concerns regarding the ‘soft room’ as it raises serious questions about the conditions detainees are subjected to. The existence of such a facility reflects a disturbing disregard for the dignity and basic human rights of people in detention. CARAD stands by RCOA’s view, ‘This situation is unacceptable and, as the NPM report identifies, a troubling continuation of undocumented separate confinement. The lack of checks and balances normally required for this type of space is glaringly omitted. The Department of Home Affairs’ response that guidelines are underway does not reflect that the use of these types of rooms has been identified previously, nor does it address the concern that the ‘soft rooms’ could be classified as “dry cells”, spaces which are prohibited in the immigration detention network.
The Department of Home Affairs has been urged to take swift and meaningful action to address these findings, ensuring that detention conditions meet minimum standards of human decency. The NPM also recommended that the Australian Border Force stop using these rooms until it completes its work on safety guidelines, practices, and procedures have been developed and implemented.
This is not the first time that Yongah Hill has been scrutinised for its harsh living conditions. In April 2024, a report was released that labelled the detention centre as ‘not fit for purpose’, with drug trafficking, bullying and standover tactics, and inadequate health care as the main concerns raised by Australian Human Rights Commission inspectors.
Having access to a mobile phone and or laptop is crucial to CARAD clients in immigration detention. These devices serve as lifelines for communicating with CARAD caseworkers, legal representatives, and staying connected to distant family members. If you’d like to donate your old devices to CARAD clients, please ensure it is in good working condition and comes with a charger. If it is a mobile phone, please be sure it has an unlocked SIM and has at least 4G reception as there is limited service in Northam, WA. Please reach out to office@carad.org.au with any questions or to organise a time to drop off the device.
If you are interested in becoming a CARAD volunteer, you can join our team for immigration detention visits. These visits provide key support and are often the only connection our clients have to the outside world. For further information about volunteering opportunities, please contact Volunteer Services at volunteerservices@carad.org.au .
Sources:
Thank you to CARAD volunteer, Ellie Korn, for her contribution to this article.