Advocating for human dignity and justice

At Detainee Voices Australia, we stand for human rights. Discover our commitment to monitoring, advocating, and giving a voice to those affected by immigration and detention policies in Australia.

Our passion for human rights

We are passionate about ensuring human rights are upheld in Australia. Our primary focus is on monitoring the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force (ABF), private detention contractors, and health providers to ensure proper standards are met. We scrutinise policies, operational issues, and contractor performance.

We believe in transparency and utilise Freedom of Information (FOI) documents, parliamentary inquiries, Senate estimates, Ombudsman reports, and Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) reports to inform our advocacy. The transition from Serco to Secure Journeys/MTC for onshore detention services, for example, raises concerns about private-prison-style management which we carefully report based on verified information.

A major focus of our research is how international law interacts with Australian domestic law, particularly concerning core treaties Australia has ratified:

  • ICCPR — International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • ICESCR — International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
  • CERD — Racial Discrimination Convention
  • CEDAW — Women’s Discrimination Convention

Championing the vulnerable

We aim to support and speak up for those whose voices are often unheard. This includes individuals affected by visa cancellation, detention, removal, deportation, and family separation. We advocate for fathers, mothers, partners of Australian citizens, and those with Australian-born children who find themselves in precarious situations.

While we recognise that domestic violence laws are essential for protecting genuine victims, we also highlight instances where allegations may be misused, exaggerated, procedurally unfair, or weaponised in migration and family disputes. The consequences of such actions can be devastating for children, marriages, visa status, family unity, and mental health.

We strive to be "A voice for those Australia has forgotten." Australia often speaks of fairness, democracy, family values, and the rule of law. Yet, behind the walls of immigration detention centres, many people live in silence, uncertainty, and pain – some are sick, some traumatised, and some have served criminal sentences only to face further detention.

Our advocacy in action: Share your story

Behind every visa number is a human life. Behind every detention decision is a family, a child, a partner, a mother, a father, a future. This page records the voices Australia rarely hears. We champion human rights through careful monitoring, detailed reporting, and by providing a platform for individuals to share their experiences.

To ensure privacy, all stories shared with us are treated with the utmost confidentiality. We use consent forms and allow anonymous publishing, removing identifying details where necessary. Your experience can make a difference.

Submit your story:

Help us shed light on the realities of immigration detention. Use our story submission form:

  • Name or anonymous
  • Detention location
  • Date of incident
  • What happened
  • Health impact
  • Family impact
  • Legal stage
  • Permission to publish
  • Upload documents/photos/videos

We also run an "Immigration Detention Watch" – a watchdog page monitoring Australian immigration detention centres and Alternative Places of Detention (APODs), including:

  • Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation / Detention
  • Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation
  • Villawood Immigration Detention Centre
  • Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre
  • Christmas Island detention facilities
  • APOD hotel detention locations
  • Nauru-related detention/resettlement policies

Key issues monitored include passive smoking exposure and other critical concerns impacting detainee well-being.

"After learning about Detainee Voices Australia, I felt empowered and hopeful that real change is possible for those facing immigration challenges."

A supporter of justice