Companies Running Immigration Detention Camps
The three main companies that run immigration detentoin camps are G4S, Serco and Transfield. I note that Broadspectrum was mentioned in a previous blog but Transfield have ex employees in the executive listing. I found out it was formerly Tranfield.
Asia-Pacific
Feb 25, 2014
Meet the companies that run our immigration detention camps
Australia’s offshore detention centres are run by global firms involved in everything from weapons to coal seam gas. Here’s everything you need to know about those in charge at Manus Island, Nauru and Christmas Island.
Cathy Alexander
Freelance journalist and PhD candidate in politics at the University of Melbourne
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The London-based security giant had a $244.5 million contract from the Australian government to run the Manus Island camp (“operational and maintenance services”). It lost the contract a few months ago and will formally handover to Transfield in early March. G4S was in charge of the camp when Berati died, and has defended its staff and promised to co-operate with the government’s investigation. G4S employs almost 625,000 people in 125 countries. Almost half its revenue still comes from Europe, but it’s active right through America, Asia and Australia. The company’s slogan is “securing your world”, and its bread and butter is security-related services for governments and private companies. It provides guards, watches over ATMs, and works in prisons, court escort and data protection. It’s a risky business; 18 staff died from “attacks” in 2012. In Australia, G4S runs Victoria’s Port Philip Prison and provides patient transport for the state Health Department. The company does prisoner transport in Victoria and South Australia, and it runs electronic monitoring of offenders (more on that later) in SA. G4S operates “guarding and security services … in every Australian state and territory”. It guards everything from hospitals to control rooms and major events. G4S also conducts “investigative services” — snooping for insurance companies and government organisations. The company has done some work in PNG under the name G4S Secure Solutions (PNG) Ltd, e.g. “manned security” for the UN (see the 2012 annual report). G4S’ figures for 2012 looked all right — global group turnover of 7.3 billion pounds for the calendar year and profit (before tax) of 516 million pounds — then trouble struck. The firm was placed under a criminal fraud investigation for overcharging the UK government for the cost of e-monitoring offenders.