The Australian Immigration Service awarded a total of 23 awards last year (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Immigration Service (Immigration Department) was charged with more than 20 false detentions and personal injuries in the last fiscal year, consuming $230, 000 in Australian federal goverment230, 000 dollars.
Between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017, the Australian Finance Department`s (Department of Finance) handled 23 cases involving detainees and employees of the Australian Immigration Service, according to documents obtained by the Australian lawyers` Union (Australian Lawyers Alliance) under the Freedom of Information Act.
In one Indonesian case, Australian authorities paid A $32313 in compensation to a person injured in custody. In two other Australian cases, Australian authorities awarded A $69508 to erroneous detainees. Nine other cases involved employees of detention centres, including two claims from two employees of the (Manus Island) Detention Centre on Manus Island, for a total of A $69108.
The cases do not include the largest human rights compensation in Australia`s history, when Australia`s federal goverment was ordered to pay A $70 million, plus A $20 million in legal fees, to 1905 refugees detained at Manus Island Center between 2012 and mid-2016. As of this week, 1000 awards have been made, according to Slater&Gordon, a law firm.
Barnes (Greg Barns), a lawyer from the Australian lawyers` Union, said the data reflected claims filed by the Australian Immigration Service. Barnes has revealed that there is an ongoing lawsuit in Papua New Guinea and that the Australian federal goverment may have to pay millions of Australian dollars in damages.
Between 1999 and 2011, Australian authorities paid A $18.23 million for false custody and A $5.12 million for breach of duty and negligence, according to other documents from the Australian Finance Department. In this regard, the Australian Department of Home Affairs (Department of Home Affairs), who oversees the Australian Immigration Service, said it was inconvenient to comment.
Getting compensation from the Australian Immigration Service is a tough task, and lawyer Clare O`Connor understands it. One of Australia`s most experienced immigration lawyers, O`Connor came into contact with dozens of immigration lawsuits last year. O`Connor believes that some cases have gone beyond negligence and are intentional injuries.
