Nauru abuse report 'concerning': Cormann

Cabinet minister Mathias Cormann has labelled as "very concerning" a report into allegations of abuse against asylum seekers held on Nauru.

Mathias Cormann

MP Mathias Cormann says a report on allegations of abuse against asylum seekers is 'concerning'. (AAP)

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the content of a review into allegations of abuse against asylum seekers on Nauru is "very concerning".

The review, released on Friday, has uncovered several dozen cases with guards possibly trading drugs for "sexual favours" on the Pacific island nation.

The 86-page report detailed allegations of indecent and physical assault, as well as sexual harassment, at the offshore processing centre.

Mr Cormann would not be drawn on whether more media access should be allowed on the island in the wake of the report, but said he was concerned by its findings.

"Some of the content in the report ... is very concerning," he told Sky News on Saturday.

"The department has accepted all of the recommendations and all of the recommendations will be implemented.

"Beyond that I'll leave it to the Minister for Immigration to respond to these sorts of inquiries."

The review was ordered by former immigration minister Scott Morrison following claims children had been abused while in detention.

The department says it has accepted 19 recommendations from the review and has begun work on implementing them in cooperation with the Nauru government, service providers and the Australian Federal Police.

Speaking in Melbourne, Labor's immigration spokesman Richard Marles said the handling of the review represented an "appalling low" for the Abbott government.

"The Moss review details serious allegations of sexual assault within the detention facilities on Nauru," Mr Marles said.

"The Moss review finds that the testimony of asylum seekers is convincing and it concludes that the degree of sexual assault within these detention facilities is being under-reported.

"This is quite evidently shocking."

He said the report showed the government was more concerned about the potential for protest on Nauru than about "the sexual assault of minors".

"This is a government which has lost its moral compass," Mr Marles added.


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Source: AAP


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