Ombudsman finds open drug trade and 'culture of fear' inside Villawood detention centre

A Commonwealth Ombudsman report based on a March 2026 inspection of Villawood Immigration Detention Centre, holding 428 people, found illicit drugs traded openly, with detainees reporting a "culture of fear" from standover tactics. Some individuals became drug users for the first time while detained. Monitors also found makeshift weapon production, unrepairs from a three-year-old fire, and children denied schooling. The report demands urgent remedial action.