Former staff demand closure of Australia detention centres

Asylum seeker children hold up signs protesting their resettlement on Nauru

More than 100 former employees from Australia's offshore detention centres have called for asylum seekers to be brought to the mainland.

The staff worked with detainees held on the Pacific island of Nauru and Papua New Guinea's Manus Island.
A signed letter from the workers argues that Australia must work to resettle refugees held in these centres.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says there will be no change to Australia's 'robust' border protection

More than 400 asylum seekers remain in cramped tents on Nauru

It follows the Guardian's publication of more than 2,000 leaked reports from the immigration centre on Nauru. The "incident reports" revealed widespread abuse and trauma among children and women at the centre.

'Untenable situation'

The former detention centre employees argue that the only way to secure the safety of asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island is to immediately bring them to Australia.

"It's an untenable situation for it to remain the way it is," said Toby O'Brien, a former child protection officer for Save the Children. Many of the staff say that they have already given evidence to several investigations.

"Inquiries and so on are not really relevant to addressing the issue right now because quite a number of adults and children are at immediate risk of harm on the island".

"By the time these inquiries are finished and recommendations are implemented it's highly likely that more people have been harmed."