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Drug-dealing, makeshift weapons and a ‘culture of fear’ at Villawood detention centre, report warns

The Guardian World Thursday 20 August 2026, 09:23 UTC By Ben Doherty and Christopher Knaus 1 min read
Key Points

Prolonged detention of children, insufficient staffing and hazardous damage to buildings are among the ombudsman’s concernsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDrugs are being openly dealt inside Villawood detention centre; makeshift weapons are being manufactured amid intimidation, standover tactics and a “culture of fear”; people are sleeping outside under CCTV cameras for their own safety; and children are being...

Prolonged detention of children, insufficient staffing and hazardous damage to buildings are among the ombudsman’s concerns

Drugs are being openly dealt inside Villawood detention centre; makeshift weapons are being manufactured amid intimidation, standover tactics and a “culture of fear”; people are sleeping outside under CCTV cameras for their own safety; and children are being kept from going to school, a scathing report from the independent monitor has found.

The commonwealth’s National Preventive Mechanism issued the report based on a three-day visit in March this year. A total of 428 people were held in Villawood at the time, including children. Some 78 beds were offline because of damage still not repaired from a fire three years ago.

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Australia (LOCATION) Villawood (LOCATION) CCTV (ORG) National Preventive Mechanism (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian World Read original →

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