Guards face sack over online slur
Security personnel on Manus Island could be sacked after a guard used Facebook to mock an asylum seeker's self-harm attempt.
Darren Powell, an employee with the G4S security company, took to social media to tell his friends a detainee had swallowed a pair of nail clippers.
"Merry Christmas all. One of these jokers just swallowed a pair of nail clippers. RALMFAO," Mr Powell posted on Facebook.
Jason Drain, another G4S employee at the Manus Island centre, responded: "I want to be his escort to the (toilet) when he passes them."
Another G4S worker posted: "Lol so he has finally realised the food is s…."
G4S said the matter was serious and it was investigating.
"The disciplinary measures will be determined by the outcome of the investigation," a spokesman said.
G4S recently lost the contract to provide security on Manus Island. A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the behaviour of the security guards was inappropriate.
Conditions on the Manus Island detention camp are said to be poor, with detainees kept in big tents in tropical conditions.
Recently released reporting logs show 110 incidents including self-harm attempts and assaults on Manus Island were recorded between March and July last year.
Documents showed that in one incident Papua New Guinea police stormed into the camp and demanded cash from the Australian Government.
Labor yesterday attacked the Government for refusing to give out basic information about its Border Protection operations.
It was revealed yesterday that the Government was considering buying lifeboats to send back groups of asylum seekers who arrived in Australian waters aboard unseaworthy vessels.
But the Abbott Government has refused to comment on the proposal.
