At what cost? The human and economic cost of Australia’s offshore detention policies
Summary
Equity Economics has supported Save the Children, the Australian Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and GetUp! with updated costings of the Australian Government’s policy of offshore detention.
Despite the closures of detention centres in Nauru and Manus Island, PNG, the cost of processing asylum seekers offshore remains high at $9 billion over the last 4 years (2016- 2020), compared to $10 billion (2012-2016).
Offshore processing is costing in excess of $573,000 per person per year. Onshore mandatory detention is costing on average $346,000 per person per year, compared to $10,221 per person per year for those living in the community on bridging visas, presenting scope for significant further reduction in costs and improved treatment of asylum seekers.
Transparency in budget reporting of related expenditures has deteriorated further. Published costs and arrival numbers is extremely limited and available information does not add up. This makes analysis and oversight of government activities difficult to measure and assess accurately, limiting the accountability of government public awareness of the true cost involved.
Read the full report
Similar Reports
