ACT National Preventive Mechanism (NPM)
The ACT National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) is made up of three independent bodies:
These organisations work together to improve human rights safeguards and protections across facilities such as the Alexander Maconochie Centre, Bimberi Youth Justice Centre and Dhulwa Mental Health Unit.
The operation of the ACT NPM commenced on 20 January 2022. In announcing the ACT NPM the then Attorney General Shane Rattenbury said that while secure facilities are a last resort, they must be safe and support the health and wellbeing needs of people who are detained.
The ACT NPM is an important element to the ACT’s human rights framework, providing a system of independent and proactive visits to places of detention to prevent torture and other cruel or degrading treatment. While many oversight and accountability mechanisms for places of detention are reactive, what makes these visits unique is the objective to prevent harm before it occurs.
The ACT NPM has a strong knowledge of and experience in, oversight and monitoring for human rights compliance, anti-discrimination and making expert recommendations on strengthening protections against ill-treatment in places of detention.
The ACT NPM helps to identify systemic issues and root causes of ill-treatment for the ACT Government, and forms part of a national framework under the United Nations’ Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).
Australia ratified the UN’s OPCAT in December 2017 and agreed to the establishment of a multi-body NPM across states and territories to support Australia’s obligations to implement the international treaty.
The ACT NPM does not handle individual complaints about alleged breaches of human rights, but you can contact us for further information about our role under the OPCAT.
Further information about the operation of the Australian NPM is available on the Commonwealth Ombudsman website.