Standards for Design and Fitout of Immigration Detention Facilities
The department has developed Standards that:
- guide the building of accommodation to house unlawful non citizens that is non-institutional and generally domestic scale architecture
- are based on principles which support the health and well being of people being held for extended periods in immigration detention while their claims to stay are considered or their removal is facilitated
- the room size and amenity provided take into account standards applied in other forms of residential accommodation such as public housing, aged care and assisted living facilities and defence accommodation
- aim to create accommodation in which people in detention
- feel safe
- have the opportunity to associate freely with others held in detention
- have reasonable access to education, religious and recreational facilities
- have the ability to receive visitors and to socialise.
The principles underpinning the Standards have been applied in recent new buildings and in refurbishments.
Examples:
- Brisbane and Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation
- Perth and Sydney Immigration Residential Housing
- Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre refurbishment.
The standards will be periodically updated to take account of amendments to Australian standards and emerging best practice. A summary of the principles are set out below.
Design principles
The design principles to support the well being of people in detention are:
- Immigration detention is administrative detention and detention infrastructure will facilitate to the greatest extent possible a normalised community environment while ensuring the safety of residents, staff and visitors
- Personal safety and privacy for sleeping will be ensured through provision of private bedrooms
- Bedrooms will have reasonable access to ablutions, to a living room with snack making facilities and access to an outside area
- Each accommodation unit will have reasonable access to laundry facilities
- Accommodation units will be configured to facilitate groupings by gender and by cultural affiliation and to allow separation by risk profile
- Culturally relevant passive and active recreational facilities – which may include a gym, canteen, library, film theatre, BBQ, internet access and outdoor sports area – will be provided to allow a choice of activity
- Health services will be provided in a facility comparable to a community standard
- Effective visits will be supported by a visits facility that allows all weather social interaction, sharing of meals and recreation opportunities with visitors
- Interview rooms will provide privacy, safety and the amenity of a professional consulting room
- Culturally appropriate facilities will be provided to support religious and spiritual requirements
- Landscaping will be maintained to community standards
- Security will be provided to keep occupants and the community safe, and be designed wherever possible in a non institutional manner that will allow for ease of movement and appropriate containment
- Detention facilities should meet local planning requirements and fit in with the local environment
- The entrance of the facility and arrival experience of all persons should be non threatening, welcoming and functional
- Allowance for group or individual dining with the provision for self-catering for snacks in local kitchenettes
- Where possible, people in detention will have ready access to views outside the contained environment
- Facilities will provide the greatest level of freedom of movement according to risk
- Appropriate security and containment measures will be used to meet local community safety expectations according to risk.