Australian National Preventive Mechanism Annual Report 2024-25 published

Australia’s National Preventive Mechanism: Annual Report 2024-25

Australia’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) continued to strengthen its oversight of places of detention throughout 2024–25, with 12 oversight bodies working across nine jurisdictions to monitor places where people are deprived of their liberty, collaborate on issues of national significance, and contribute to parliamentary and international human rights processes.

The latest annual report highlights ongoing progress towards implementing Australia’s obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT). Jurisdictions continued to develop legislative, operational and coordination arrangements, while NPM members strengthened national collaboration and preventive monitoring practices.

Despite this progress, significant challenges remain. National NPM coverage has not yet been achieved, and dedicated resourcing continues to be insufficient to fully support OPCAT implementation across Australia.

Common risks across places of detention

While Australian NPM members oversee a diverse range of detention settings under different legislative and operational frameworks, the report identifies several common areas of concern across jurisdictions, including:

• Pressures arising from increasing detention populations, workforce shortages and infrastructure constraints.
• Barriers to accessing healthcare, mental health services, rehabilitation programs and education.
• Ongoing concerns about the treatment and wellbeing of children and young people deprived of their liberty.
• Deaths in custody, including the continued overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and concerns about the effectiveness of existing safeguards.

Looking ahead

The Australian NPM continues to provide an important national perspective on the treatment of people deprived of liberty across Australia. The annual report outlines the activities, observations and recommendations of NPM members and highlights the work still required to achieve full OPCAT implementation and strengthen protections against ill-treatment in places of detention.

Read the full report to learn more about the findings, observations and recommendations of Australia’s National Preventive Mechanism.