Labor and the Greens have both voiced concern about “punitive” and “cruel” treatment of refugees brought to Australia for medical treatment, after revelations dozens are detained in dirty and restrictive conditions inside a Brisbane hotel.

Guardian Australia reported on Sunday that a cohort of refugees had been kept in the hotel, under heavy guard, for up to six months.

They shared photographs of bugs in their rooms, and complained about the invasive treatment by Serco security staff. Many remain in the medical care of IHMS, the company contracted to provide healthcare services on Manus Island and Nauru.

The shadow home affairs minister, Kristina Keneally, said medical transfers existed so vulnerable people could receive care not available in offshore detention.

“[Home affairs minister] Peter Dutton should not use medical transfers in a punitive fashion and must ensure conditions in Australia don’t further exacerbate medical conditions people are being treated for,” Keneally told Guardian Australia.

“Of course, if there is a risk to the community, it is necessary people are held in immigration detention. In fact, it is a legislative requirement that anyone who is transferred here must be placed in held detention unless the minister expressly approved their release into the community.

“The law makes clear medical transfers are only temporary but the home affairs minister needs to explain what the long term resettlement plans are for the thousand people and their family members he has transferred to Australia for medical purposes.”

The Greens’ immigration spokesman, Nick McKim, described the conditions detailed in the Guardian Australia report as “cruelty for cruelty’s sake”.

“It’s invasive and completely unnecessary,” he said. “It’s the deliberate continuation of a system that’s designed to dehumanise people ... it’s a continuation of that bloody-minded cruelty that we’ve seen on Manus and Nauru.”



For refugees brought to Australia from offshore detention on orders to receive medical treatment, their legal situation is perilous. They do not have a visa or status in Australia, and can be detained and moved at the whim of authorities.



The home affairs minister has the ability to grant a “residence determination” that would allow a refugee to live in the community while legally remaining in immigration detention.

McKim said people should be allowed to live in the community unless a court decided they needed to be detained.

“I think the government’s plan is to be as cruel and create as much harm for these people as they can in the hope they’re going to voluntarily leave,” he said. “It’s the same model as what you’ve got on Manus and Nauru.”

The Morrison government is attempting to negotiate the repeal of the medevac legislation, which makes easier the transfer of refugees from offshore detention to Australia for medical reasons.

Home affairs did not respond to a request for comment last week about the cohort’s detention, including questions about why people were now being kept in the hotel for longer timeframes.