Senate inquiry to examine abuse allegations after Nauru files leaked.

Allegations of abuse and self-harm in Australia’s offshore immigration detention centres will be the subject of a senate inquiry after a motion was passed in the Upper House today.

Labor and the Greens co-sponsored the motion, which was passed 35 to 27 with the help of crossbench senators Nick Xenophon, Skye Kakoschke-Moore, Derryn Hinch and Jacqui Lambie.

The move comes after thousands of leaked files alleging abuse of children and adults in Nauru’s processing centre were published last month.

The more than 2,000 incident reports published by The Guardian outlined various allegations of abuse, including assaults, sexual assaults and self-harm between 2013 and 2015.

The Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee inquiry will examine “serious allegations of abuse, self-harm and neglect of asylum seekers” at both the Nauru and Manus Island regional processing centres, including the obligations of the Australian Government and contractors.

It will also examine attempts by the Commonwealth Government to negotiate third-country resettlement of asylum seekers and refugees.

Shadow immigration minister Shayne Neumann said Parliament had “a responsibility to investigate serious claims about any mistreatment of asylum seekers in offshore processing centres”.

In a joint statement with Senator Murray Watt, Mr Neumann emphasised the potential role of an independent children’s advocate.

“Unaccompanied minors are some of the most vulnerable asylum seekers,” he said.

“The inquiry will be asked to specifically give consideration to the role an independent children’s advocate could play in protecting the rights and interests of unaccompanied minors.”

Greens’ immigration spokesperson Nick McKim said that Parliament needed to “reveal the truth” of what happened at the centres.

‘Public has a right to know what goes on’

The establishment of the senate inquiry follows a meeting between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Nauruan President Barn Waqa, whose Government has blocked two Australian politicians from entering the island nation.

Most recently, crossbench MP Andrew Wilkie was denied a visa after planning to travel to Nauru to visit the processing centre.

Mr Wilkie said the public had “a right to know what goes on” in the centre and took aim at the Turnbull Government for not supporting his attempted trip.

In addition to the leaked files, a separate report detailing the allegedly inhumane treatment of refugees held on Nauru was released by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Titled Australia: Appalling abuse, neglect of refugees on Nauru, the joint report detailed concerns about mental health, access to adequate medical care, attacks from the local Nauruan population, and concerns for the education and health of children on the island.

The Immigration Department denied many of the claims, stating it was not consulted about the report.

This post originally appeared on ABC News. 

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