Amnesty International welcomes today's announcement that the Australian Government has taken steps to strengthen support for the absolute prohibition against torture, both internationally and at home.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland announced that the government has signed the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and that it plans to enact a specific Commonwealth offence against torture.

“Signing the Optional Protocol sends a strong and unequivocal message to the international community that Australia does not support the use of torture anywhere in the world,” Amnesty International spokesperson Katie Wood said.

Australia became a party to the Convention Against Torture in 1989. The Optional Protocol provides a mechanism for review of detention facilities to ensure that torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment is not being practised.

At the national level, a body would be empowered to promote standards and conduct inspections - without notice - of jails and other places of detention, and to hold officials to account. International experts could also conduct inspections of Australian detention facilities and report any concerns.

“Such a system would be a strong measure towards preventing abuse of people in custody and create an environment in which perpetrators are not able to act without being brought to justice,” Katie Wood said.

Amnesty International believes that a national custody monitoring body would also ensure an appropriate focus on issues specific to Indigenous people in custody and help address Indigenous deaths in custody. Immigration detention facilities, including those on Christmas Island and other places of detention in Australia, would also come under the scrutiny of this body.

Amnesty International also welcomes the Attorney-General's announcement that the Government will introduce legislation this year to enact a specific Commonwealth torture offence specifically outlawing torture both in Australia and in relation to Australian officials overseas.