INTERVIEW: SBS speaks to Human Rights Commissioner as UN blocked from inspecting detention facilities

This week, human rights experts from United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention were blocked from inspecting detention facilities in the Northern Territory and West Australia. As they wrapped up a 12-day tour of facilities across the country, preliminary findings raise substantial concerns around the over-representation of First Nations people, punitive policies that target children, rising rates of remand and mandatory detention, among other issues. The federal immigration detention regime was also found to contravene fundamental international human rights norms - including the Commonwealth's recent deal with Nauru to deport stateless people. Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay says the findings show Australia is not complying with key international human rights commitments it has made to the world. She’s speaking here with Tee Mitchell.

Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay speaks to SBS as human rights experts from United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention are blocked from inspecting detention facilities. Credit: Murdoch University

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