NTEU CAUTIONS UNIVERSITIES OVER INVOLVEMENT IN GROUP 4 BID TO RUN DETENTION CENTRES
July 16 2002
The National Tertiary Education Union on Tuesday expressed serious concern about the involvement of the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) with the controversial Danish owned correctional Services Corporation Group 4 Falck in its bid to take over the running of Australia’s immigration detention centres.
“Universities are public institutions and should speak for the public interest.” said Mr Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary. “As part of this, educational institutions and educators everywhere need to understand the importance of human rights and reflect this in their work.”
“Given this, the NTEU would caution ATN campuses against forming alliances with an organisation such as Group 4 and the system of detention in Australia that is perceived to be perpetuating the denial of internationally recognised human rights of asylum seekers.”
It was revealed last week that Group 4 Falck had approached Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Education, Language and Community Services to provide education, recreational and sporting activities to asylum seekers, as part of the Danish security corporation’s bid to manage Australia’s seven active immigration detention centres.
Members of ATN, the body representing five technology universities across Australia, of which RMIT is a partner, have subsequently been invited to be involved and there are indications that two campuses have responded favourably.
“While we understand the importance of providing educational and recreational services to those in correctional facilities, the immigration detention centres are not correctional facilities and are clearly an inappropriate means of housing asylum seekers,” said Mr McCulloch.
“We would question the effectiveness of delivering education services in an environment where all freedoms are taken away. As a trade union committed to social justice, the NTEU would request the ATN network to reconsider any decision to enter into Group 4’s bid.”
For information and comment:
Mr Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary
Tel: 03 9254 1910, Mob: 0418 322620
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator Tel: 03 9254 1910, Mob: 0438026277