A senior Department of Home Affairs official has levelled allegations in the administrative appeals tribunal that taxpayer funds have been misused within Australia’s offshore detention system and the multimillion dollar contracts are “broken” and not fit for purpose.
The allegations, which were first reported by the Age, are part of evidence given by then assistant secretary Derek Elias as part of a Comcare case. Elias is seeking compensation from the department over mental health issues he allegedly suffered while working in Australia’s regional processing scheme in 2020 and 2021.
