The UN's torture watchdog has cancelled an upcoming trip to Australia, where it would've inspected the standard of detention centres.
The UN has previously flagged concerns over conditions in the facilities, pointing out issues with the over-representation of Aboriginal people in detention.
Issues around solitary confinement and restraints have also been brought up.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, 147 New Zealanders were being held in Australian detention centres as of December 2022.
Today, the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) said Australian authorities had failed to provide assurances that it'd have full access.
"Despite the good cooperation the Subcommittee has with the Australian Federal Authorities following our initial mission, there is no alternative but to terminate the visit as the issue of unrestricted access to all places of deprivation of liberty in two states has not yet been resolved," SPT chairwoman Suzanne Jabbour said.
"Nevertheless, a report based on what the SPT observed during its October visit before the suspension will be shared with the State party as soon as possible. It will enable ongoing communication with the Australian Government."
The trip had been postponed in October last year after the SPT said it had been "obstructed" from visiting several detention sites.
At the time the UN said it was a "clear breach" by Australia of its obligations.
The issue caused Queensland to bring in new laws that'd allow the UN to visit mental health in-patient wards, which had previously been off limits due to patient privacy.
The ABC reports that NSW's Attorney General said the government was ready to follow through on the UN's international agreement to prevent mistreatment of people in detention.
However, he said the federal government needed to pledge more funding to implement it.
"As stated in the communique from the December 2022 Standing Council of Attorneys-General, participants agreed to provide costings to the Commonwealth about anticipated funding required to set up a fully operational National Preventive Mechanism (NPM)," he told the organisation.
"New South Wales has complied and awaits Commonwealth consideration, and approval, of the funding."
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