Incident at Sydney Airport
In May of the previous year, a detainee named Paea Teu was being transported from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to Sydney airport for deportation. During the journey, Teu allegedly stabbed two MTC staff members and escaped from the vehicle. Teu now faces multiple criminal charges in the NSW local court.
Photographic and video evidence from the scene indicated that the vehicle used—a Kia Carnival—lacked protective barriers for staff.
Vehicle registration records showed the car was insured as a "hire and drive yourself vehicle." Neither the Department of Home Affairs nor MTC provided comment on whether rental vehicles were being used for detainee transport.
Vehicle Suitability Concerns
Multiple sources reported that MTC utilized standard, unmodified people-mover vehicles, including Kia Carnivals and Hyundai Starias, for detainee transport. According to staff and union representatives, these vehicles initially lacked basic safety modifications such as Perspex barriers to physically separate detainees from drivers and guards.
The Department of Home Affairs reportedly intervened directly with MTC regarding the suitability of transport vehicles. A department spokesperson stated that the Australian Border Force mandates that detainee transportation must comply with safety, security, contractual, and work health and safety requirements. The spokesperson added that the department actively monitors service providers' performance, including vehicle suitability, and collaborates with providers to address identified risks.
Sources indicated that some vehicles have since been fitted with barriers.
Contract and Company Background
In 2023, the Australian government awarded Secure Journeys, an MTC subsidiary, a $2.3 billion (approximately A$2.3 billion) contract to operate onshore immigration detention centres. MTC's history in the United States includes accusations of defrauding the state of Mississippi, as well as reported security failures including the alleged gang-rape of a female detainee and the murder of two retirees by an escaped prisoner.
MTC declined to comment on matters related to vehicle safety, directing inquiries to the Department of Home Affairs. The department stated it maintains the ability to hold MTC accountable for failures to meet contractual and work health and safety obligations.
Staff and Union Concerns
An open letter signed by 483 detention centre workers in September of the previous year called for the replacement or modification of the transport and escort fleet. The letter noted that some vehicles did not offer the same level of security protections as previous arrangements under the prior contractor, specifically citing a lack of physical separation between detainees and staff.
The United Workers Union (UWU), representing MTC staff, acknowledged concerns regarding the use of "people-mover style vehicles" and stated these were among numerous safety issues consistently raised with MTC and the department. UWU Executive Director Godfrey Moase noted that members reported the current vehicles offered fewer security protections compared to previous arrangements. Concerns have also been raised regarding the use of labour hire drivers for detainee transport.
Broader Operational Issues
A separate Comcare report warned that MTC's staffing model posed risks to workers and detainees. Comcare established a dedicated inspection program following an increase in notifiable incidents, including serious injuries, self-harm, and detainee violence. The regulator found that the Department of Home Affairs was contravening work health and safety laws at at least one centre.
Additional reported incidents in the 14 months prior to September 2025 included:
- Over 12 escapes or attempted escapes. This included a child sexual abuse offender who fled during a hospital escort and a detainee who escaped by climbing a light pole at Brisbane detention centre, going unnoticed for 12 hours.
- Two detainees who fled a guarded vehicle in Melbourne, with one remaining at large for four days.
- Two staff members who were hospitalized after responding to a fire without respiratory equipment.
In September 2025, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke met with MTC's global president Dan Marquardt to address the company's performance.
The government has fined MTC hundreds of thousands of dollars for performance failures. An internal departmental source described the situation as a "sinking ship" in comments to a media outlet.
An Australian Border Force spokesperson stated that immigration detention is a complex environment and that safety is a priority. An MTC Secure Journeys spokesperson said the company takes health, safety, and wellbeing seriously and has systems and training in place.