Asylum seeker advocates have raised alarm over the welfare of detainees at the Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre following a fire that broke out at the facility early Thursday morning. The incident has sparked concerns about inadequate healthcare and the overall treatment of those held in detention.
The Australian Border Force (ABF), which manages the Broadmeadows facility, reported that a small fire started in a common area of the centre at approximately 2 a.m. on Thursday. Emergency services responded quickly, extinguishing the blaze and relocating detainees to another compound within the facility. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, though one of the compounds sustained significant damage.
Advocates Express Concerns Over Healthcare and Conditions
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), a Melbourne-based advocacy group, expressed concern about the conditions faced by detainees at the centre. Catherine Holbeche, the acting principal solicitor of the ASRC’s human rights law program, shared that the organisation had spoken to two detainees and received an email from a third, shedding light on the situation.
Holbeche revealed that one detainee in the high-security north compound had been experiencing “serious chest pains,” leading to frustration among the detainees when it became apparent that no ambulance was coming to assist him. This frustration reportedly culminated in a riot, sparked by a combination of inadequate healthcare and a lack of dignity for those held at the facility.
“Frustration boiled over,” Holbeche explained. “The lack of adequate healthcare and the lack of basic respect and dignity were key factors that led to the unrest.”
Ambulance Response and Jurisdiction Confusion
While Ambulance Victoria was initially called to the scene, the request for paramedic assistance was later cancelled by someone from the detention centre. Holbeche, who has previously called for emergency services to attend to detainees, noted that this lack of access to ambulance care was not surprising. She recalled a previous experience where, after requesting an ambulance for a client in a suicidal state, paramedics were unable to gain access to the facility.
“There’s confusion about who has jurisdiction over the centre,” Holbeche said. “Staff often tell paramedics that they have sufficient healthcare on-site, which has created barriers to proper emergency care.”
Detainees reportedly faced further discomfort after the fire, with some being forced to sleep outside in cold conditions without access to toilets. Holbeche described the situation as a “basic issue” involving the provision of adequate healthcare and the fundamental right to be treated with dignity.
ABF Response: Detainees “Safely Accommodated”
In response to these concerns, the ABF stated that all detainees were “safely and appropriately accommodated” at the centre. A spokesperson for the agency declined to comment specifically on the detainee experiencing chest pains, citing privacy reasons and ongoing investigations into the matter.
“Due to the ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the ABF spokesperson added.
Fire Under Control
Fire Rescue Victoria also responded to the incident, with firefighters arriving at the detention centre after a triple-0 call about a fire within the building complex. By the time they entered the facility, the blaze had already been extinguished, and the scene was declared under control by 2:55 a.m.
The incident has prompted renewed calls for better oversight of the conditions within Australia’s immigration detention facilities, particularly regarding detainee healthcare and treatment. Advocates continue to push for reforms to ensure that those held in detention are treated with the basic dignity and respect that every individual deserves.
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