Moss review recommends changes for immigration detention on Nauru

DAVID MARK: A report by the former integrity commissioner, Philip Moss, has recommended a string of changes to the way the Nauru detention centre operates.

He was investigating allegations of sexual and physical assault on asylum seekers, including children, at the centre.

He's also investigated allegations that staff on Nauru employed by the charity, Save the Children, encouraged refugees to self-harm or manipulate abuse allegations.

The Moss Review says there's no information to prove those allegations.

Stephanie Smail reports.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: The Moss Review looked at a string of allegations about sexual and physical abuse against asylum seekers on Nauru.

They included claims of rape and forcing women to expose themselves in return for access to showers and other facilities.

The report says many asylum seekers living in the detention centre are apprehensive about their personal safety and have privacy concerns.

It also found some cases of sexual and physical assault aren't being reported.

Philip Moss says when staff at the detention centre are made aware of issues, they have, in the most part, dealt with them appropriately and referred issues to police on Nauru when necessary. But he says there is room for improvement.

He wants the Nauruan government and the Immigration Department to overhaul how abuse claims are handled.

The Immigration Department has accepted the Moss Review's 19 recommendations.

Mike Pezzullo is the secretary of the Immigration Department.

MIKE PEZZULLO: You don't want to place anyone in a position where, for instance, a child is the subject of unwarranted and indeed completely depraved sexual attention in response, in relation either to someone's gratification or in some cases, getting preferred access to things like showers or the ability to have a longer bath so you can shampoo someone's hair.

I mean I find it abhorrent, and we're going to crack down on the behaviour in partnership with all of the stakeholders I mentioned earlier.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: He says there are a couple of dozen allegations that warrant further attention.

The Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says he believes people on Nauru are safe.

PETER DUTTON: It was a very difficult environment, I think people need to understand the pressures on the staff, on the Nauruan government, on people within my own department at that time, and in the preceding months and years before that, because the boats had come freely and we had many, many people in held detention.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: The other substantive part of the report deals with allegations that staff working for the charity Save the Children encouraged asylum seekers to self-harm and fabricated claims of abuse.

Ten of the charity's staff were removed from the island after those claims surfaced.

Philip Moss reviewed intelligence reports and interviews from Wilson Security, the security provider at the centre. But he says none of the information indicated conclusively that Save the Children staff had engaged in those activities.

Mr Moss acknowledged there is still an Australian Federal Police investigation into the case, but he has recommended the Immigration Department review its decision to remove the staff from the island anyway.

The department secretary says he accepts that recommendation and he met with Save the Children last week.

MIKE PEZZULLO: The contractual point in time decision to remove the staff, or to seek to have them removed, because they had to be removed both contractually but also in terms of their visa status by the government of Nauru, is something that should be reviewed in the context of looking at all of the circumstances that led up to that point in time decision.

So I've already agreed with Save the Children. I met with their CEO last week, that was one of the preparatory matters that we were engaged in, in preparing the action plan to respond to the Moss Review.

STEPHANIE SMAIL: Mike Pezzullo has set his department a two month deadline to work on fulfilling the recommendations.

The Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says the report shows why the Government is so determined to stop asylum seeker boats reaching Australia.

PETER DUTTON: Twelve-hundred people did die at sea when these boats were coming and do I want to see anyone in detention? Of course I don't. But I also can't allow a situation again where we see a flotilla of boats coming, and we end up with the sorts of things that we're talking about today. That's what I don't want to return to.

DAVID MARK: The Immigration Minister Peter Dutton ending Stephanie Smail's report.