Refugee supporters target Transfield offices

Refugee supporters marched into Transfield Services’ Melbourne office on 11 September to demand the company answer allegations about human rights abuses against refugees on Nauru and Manus Island.

Transfield, a multi-national infrastructure company that runs the refugee detention centres on Nauru and Manus, has recently had its contract with the Australian government extended for a further five years.

The contract renewal coincides with the release of a senate inquiry into the ill-treatment of refugees on Nauru. The inquiry’s report found that “the regional processing centre on Nauru is not run well, nor are Wilson Security and Transfield Services properly accountable to the Commonwealth despite the significant investment in their services”.

The report also noted 30 formal allegations of child abuse, 15 of rape or sexual assault and 21 of torture, including the use of water boarding, against staff employed by Transfield and their subcontractor Wilson Security.

The protesters confronted Transfield managers and demanded a public response to the allegations. In particular, they were seeking an explanation as to why Transfield flew three guards off Manus Island in mid-July before allegations of their involvement in a rape could be investigated by Papua New Guinea police.

Refugee supporters say they will continue to disrupt the operations of Transfield and Wilson Security. In a statement they said: “While these indefinite detention death camps remain open on Manus and Nauru the community will continue to disrupt, blockade, and encourage divestment from those corporations committing abuse, rape and murder while profiteering immensely off the illegal incarceration of those seeking asylum in Australia”.

Protests were also held outside the Transfield offices in Sydney and Brisbane.