Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus and Ben Doherty

Australia holding people in immigration detention for record 689 days on average, report finds

File photo of the frontgate of the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney
The average length of immigration detention in Australia has increased to 689 days, vastly longer than comparable countries like the United States and Canada Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Australia is holding people in immigration detention for an average of 689 days, the highest on record and more than 12 times longer than the United States, according to Human Rights Watch, which has renewed calls for an end to the “harsh and unlawful policy”.

The brief detention of tennis star Novak Djokovic in Melbourne’s Park hotel recently brought global attention to Australia’s harsh immigration policies, but more than one month on, 32 refugees and asylum seekers remain in the same facility.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.