These photos were published anonymously on Melbourne Indymedia, but former inmates - who obviously cannot be named here for their own safety - have confirmed that they are genuine. The accompanying comments are mostly theirs.

12 July 2002 - a recent addition to the DIMIA website is a series of pages devoted to each of the detention centres, oddly enough including photos - in the case of Maribyrnong rather more salubrious than the ones shown here .... Visit  http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/detention/mari_images.htm

"The four toilets and four showers have to serve a population of up to 80 males (imagine what life would be like in your house if you had 20 people and one shower and one toilet)."

{Added 12 August: the DIMIA photo of the men's showers displays bright green shower curtains; the photo posted here has no curtains at all. According to information passed to me, the DIMIA photo is actually of the showers in the family area, and the curtains are not actually as salubrious as they look - the reverse side is black, and stained with mildew...]

"The bedroom picture shows a double bunk. As I expect you know, the room contains a second double bunk just out of the picture on the left. The narrow corridor between the bunks is the only free space in the room. Clothes are hung on the rail because there's no space in the lockers. Bedrooms have no door."

Additional comment from centre visitor: "From descriptions, it sounds like each room is about 2.5 - 3 metres square. (Compare this with prison, where the cells are larger, house one inmate not four, and are fitted with television, loo, shower and tea/coffee facilities.)"

Comment from centre visitor: - The shot with those rectangles on the wall are supposed to be mirrors. Completely useless, as you can see.

This photo has been deleted by request - webmanager

"The one with the figure in it is to show the locker. That blue thing is two lockers, so the right half shows the width of each locker. That tiny space is all a detainee gets for storing all possessions, and there's no facility for hanging clothes. As you see, a piece of string is the only way to dry towels after a shower.