Mandatory detention causes indisputable damage to the physical and mental health of asylum seekers. Due to the cramped and mostly dirty, hot and poorly-ventilated living conditions inside detention centres, mandatory detention causes a rise in illnesses such as infections, tropical diseases and skin, respiratory and gastro illnesses. Otherwise minor health problems are complicated by the inadequate access to medical care inside detention centres. Hamid Kehazaei was an Iranian asylum seeker on Manus Island whose skin infection from a simple foot injury turned into severe and then fatal septicaemia in August 2014 after it took more than 24 hours for him to be taken to hospital due to bureaucratic delays^{http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/dec/09/hamid-kehazaei-death-visa-delays-stalled-transfer-asylum-seeker}.

Mandatory detention also causes and exacerbates mental health illnesses such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and self-harm. Asylum seekers have already fled situations of war, persecution and forced displacement and their detention weakens their chances of recovery from these already traumatic situations. The indefinite, prolonged and uncertain nature of the mandatory detention system in Australia causes further stress and psychological distress. The mental health and well-being of detained asylum seekers is also undermined by their limited access to mental health specialists, interpreters, legal services and social, cultural and religious networks, as well as by the general lack of autonomy and the loss of control over their lives.

Detention centres are not safe places. Reza Barati, an Iranian asylum seeker, was beaten to death during an attack on asylum seekers at the Manus Island detention centre in February 2014. Physical and sexual abuse inside detention centres is rife. Children are particularly vulnerable to abuse and mandatory detention also causes delays and disorders in their physical, psychosocial and emotional development.

The Australian mandatory detention system effectively amounts to torture^{http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/09/un-reports-australias-immigration-detention-breaches-torture-convention}. Mandatory detention must end.

Health and community services workers include doctors, nurses, counsellors, disability support workers and people that provide services in aged care, child care and welfare. We are motivated to assist with, promote and sustain the health and well-being of those in our care, especially of the most vulnerable people in the community who are in the greatest need of care.

In contrast, the system of mandatory detention causes predictable, significant and long-term damage to the health and well-being of asylum seekers, who are one of the most vulnerable groups in the world today. Those of us that work in health and community services are particularly appalled by the health impacts of detention and by the lack of access to appropriate medical care in detention centres. There are serious questions as to whether health care professionals are able to fulfill their professional and ethical obligations to patients inside detention centres^{See https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2014/201/7/ethical-challenges-doctors-working-immigration-detention}.

The majority of health and community services are also members of HESTA. We are appalled that the retirement savings that we have gained through our care work are being used to finance an industry that damages the health of people who are interned. HESTA is also supporting companies like Transfield that are determined to pursue the privatisation of health care and welfare. HESTA must divest from Transfield and end its involvement in the detention industry.

While HESTA’s stake in Transfield remains substantial, the decline in Transfield’s share value represents losses for HESTA members’ retirement savings. For example from December 2014 and January 2015 – when HESTA held more than 5% of the shares in Transfield – the value of its shares in Transfield declined from around $44.8 million to $39.5 million^{Calculated from the value of Transfield shares between 11 December 2014 and 23 January 2015. See https://xborderoperationalmatters.wordpress.com/2015/01/23/hesta/}. HESTA should not be risking the retirement savings of its members to bolster a company which is involved in running mandatory detention centres.