BackCommonwealth Ombudsman releases investigation report into the Department of Home Affairs’ implementation of the recommendations of the Thom Review to prevent the immigration detention of Australian citizens.
The Thom Review made four recommendations in relation to the department’s strategies it had in place to prevent an Australian citizen from being detained. The department accepted all recommendations made by Dr Thom.
During this investigation, the Office looked at the implementation of the recommendations at a selection of critical points across the immigration detention process. The investigation enabled us to identify gaps, where, in practice, the department’s implementation activities had not entirely met its intent or the intent of the relevant recommendation.
‘While I acknowledge the department’s progress in implementing the recommendations of the Thom Review, I consider further improvements are necessary to safeguard against the detention of Australian citizens and lawful non-citizens’, Mr Manthorpe said.
The report makes 15 recommendations to the department that offer specific guidance on ways it can ensure it has implemented the recommendations of the Thom Review effectively. The department has accepted all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations, 14 in full and one in part. The Office will be monitoring the implementation of these recommendations.
Source: Commonwealth Ombudsman, Australia
