The immigration department was warned that self-harm among asylum seekers in detention – particularly on Christmas Island – had surged since the introduction of mandatory offshore resettlement and would continue to do so, Guardian Australia can reveal.

A leaked, confidential report by Serco – the security company managing all immigration detention centres in Australia – also shows the extraordinary measures being undertaken to tighten security in the detention network, borrowing from military practise and those used by Asio, and the relaxed regulation of the use of force.



The report contains previously unseen statistics showing that the rate of self-harm among asylum seekers was six times higher by January 2014 than in July last year, when the former prime minister Kevin Rudd introduced the so-called “PNG solution”.



“There has been an increase in self-harm, particularly on Christmas Island where the detainee cohort is most heavily impacted by new policies,” the report warns. It goes on: “as time in detention continues to increase, it is likely that a corresponding increase will be experienced more broadly across the IDN [immigration detention network]”.



On Wednesday Tony Abbott said the government would not be held “over a moral barrel” in relation to a group of mothers on Christmas Island who self-harmed and were placed on suicide watch.



The report says that since the introduction of mandatory offshore processing and resettlement an “unprecedented risk profile” has arisen, including increased tension, large scale protest, escape attempt, aggression towards staff and self-harm.



“It is assessed that as detainees continue to realise their pathway proposition, there will almost certainly be a continued shift in demeanour where detainees may individually, or collectively, attempt to coerce or test policy outcomes through a range of adverse behaviours,” the report states.



It documents a series of practices marked “agreed” to clamp down on so-called “non-compliant” asylum seekers, which have been criticised by professor Louise Newman one of Australia’s foremost experts in mental health as “very dangerous”.



It is unclear how many of these have been implemented.



Non-compliance could be defined as simply not taking part in structured activities in detention centres.



The practices include:



Disciplining asylum seekers who do not participate in “structured day activities” using a “sliding scale of sanctions”. The sanctions, which are not documented in the report, are designed to “guide the thinking and decision making” of asylum seekers. If an asylum seeker does not comply, they will eventually be screened in an “intensive Life Space Interview” by a welfare officer to “ensure the detainee’s position is fully documented”. At the other end of the scale, it is agreed asylum seekers who cooperate should be given “greater rewards” including the use of online shopping.

Introducing an individual risk assessment profile on asylum seekers that “aligns with the Asio Threat Methodology and that was used within the Australian Intelligence Community”. Serco also requests “detailed information on people released from prison” and sent to immigration detention.

Introducing a “largely automated approval framework” for the use of force inside immigration detention, essentially allowing Serco the power to physically restrain asylum seekers – contingent on their “risk rating”, without the need to consult the immigration department as Guardian Australia understands they had done in the past.

Agreeing with the immigration department that the “enhanced escort position” – a controversial elbow and arm lock, which Guardian Australia understands previously had to be approved for use by a Serco manager – be deregulated and “allowed to be used for all detainees who present any capability of escape”. The document states staff will receive extra training to use the lock.

The report also reveals that discussions took place on supplying Serco officers who are part of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) with gas and “non-lethal munitions”. Serco did not support the suggestion, instead calling for better staffing of the teams and more coordination with police.

Professor Newman, director of the Monash University Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology told Guardian Australia she had “very serious concerns” about the measures being introduced and the lack of checks and balances that appear to have been established.



“The rewards and punishments model shown in the report is an outmoded approach and there’s nothing in there about properly dealing with the obvious issues of distress and breakdown in detention,” she said.



Newman said the document highlighted a “military control model” being imposed, “without reference to oversight, governance and with no reference to mental health concerns.”



“It reflects that mentality, that distress is not allowed. That distress should be dealt with punishment.”



“There’s nothing wrong with writing a framework for non compliant behaviour – but it appears there are no checks and balance like there are outside of detention”.



Both the immigration minister, Scott Morrison, and Serco have been contacted for comment.

