(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
The company running the Australian asylum seeker processing centre on Nauru has come under sharp attack at a Senate inquiry in Canberra.
Transfield Services has been accused of failing to answer questions about serious allegations of rape and sexual abuse at the centre.
The inquiry was launched after the independent Moss Review detailed sexual and physical assaults on asylum seekers by employees working at the centre.
The Senate inquiry wants more answers after the review uncovered such possible abuse as guards trading drugs for sexual favours and the rape of minors.
Amanda Cavill reports.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Security conditions at the Australian-funded detention centre on Nauru have come under the spotlight at the Senate inquiry.
Transfield Services is the company awarded the $1.2 billion tender from the Australian Government to manage the facility for just under two years.
Transfield's executive manager of logistics and facilities on the island, Derek Osborne, has come under particular attack.
Mr Osborne was unable to answer questions concerning when the company knew about the allegations of trading sexual favours for goods.
Nor could he answer Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young's questions about when Transfield learned of accusations of rape, the sexual abuse of children and violent behaviour towards refugees and asylum seekers.
(Hanson-Young:) "So when were you first aware, Mr Osborne, of sexual exploitation, in terms of access to showers, exchange for cigarettes, marijuana occurring inside the centre?" (Osborne:) "Okay, we've got very detailed reporting ..." (Hanson-Young:) "When were you first made aware of those allegations?" (Osborne:) "I'd have to take it that on notice, Senator." (Hanson-Young:) "Was it before the Moss Review or after?" (Osborne:) "Senator, I will have to take that question on notice." (Hanson-Young:) "Mr Osborne, I'm not prepared to take that on notice. You must know. Either prior to the Moss Review or after the Moss Review. When were you first made aware?"
While the question remains unanswered, Transfield insists it acted decisively to address allegations of abuse by its staff.
Transfield's chief executive of operations, Kate Munnings, says the environment at the centre can be complex.
She says, despite the company's best efforts, some allegations of misconduct have arisen.
"Where this has occurred, we have worked hard to respond promptly, sensitively and transparently. We have worked closely with the Department (of Immigration), the Republic of Nauru and, where relevant, other service providers, as well as the Nauruan police, to investigate any allegation. In the small number of instances where our staff have been the subject of substantiated allegations, we have acted firmly and decisively. We remain committed to continuous improvement and welcome the Moss recommendations as an opportunity to continue to improve our systems and processes at the centre."
Transfield contracts out to Wilson Security, which provides all security services to the centre.
Wilson executive director John Rogers told the committee only one incident has occurred in which a staff member was disciplined.
But the company's security manager, Brett McDonald, later admitted a number of staff had been disciplined, counselled or moved after concerns of inappropriate behaviour towards asylum seekers.
Still, Mr McDonald was unable to say how many people were moved and when that happened, further frustrating the committee's Labor senator Kim Carr.
"The process which we follow for allegations, we do capture that information you're after, and so, if we could take that on notice and collect the exact number for you and come back to you ..." (Carr:) "You've been there, you've witnessed firsthand. Are you aware of only one incident?" (McDonald:) "We'll be happy to take that on notice." (Carr:) "How many would you be aware of?" (McDonald:) "Senator, I'll take it on notice and come back with the exact number for you, because I would like to be exact on on that particular point." (Carr:) "Sure. Is it a significant number?"
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has defended the Government's handling of the conditions on Nauru, saying they are primarily Nauru's responsibility.
He says Australia is doing all it can to ensure basic human decency is applied at offshore asylum-seeker processing centres on Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
"We're doing everything we can to assist. And when there were reports that untoward things had happened in Nauru, we swiftly commissioned an inquiry. We've accepted all of the recommendations, and the recommendations, as far as it is within the power of the Australian Government to do so, will be acted upon."
The committee is due to hand down its report on June the 15th.
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