The company running Villawood Detention Centre, Secure Journeys, has been criticised for alleged mismanagement since it took over onshore detention facilities in 2025 under a $2.3 billion contract despite concerns about previous incidents at Sydney's Parklea prison.
Staff of the US-owned company, which operates globally as Management and Training Corporation, were sent to hospital in September after trying to enter a burning Villawood room with no protective equipment.
A detainee had locked themselves in a room and started a fire, Border Force Commissioner Gavan Reynolds told a Senate inquiry on Thursday.
Secure Journey's US-based president was understood to have been called to Australia for a dressing-down by Home Affairs minister Tony Burke following the incident.
Staff at Villawood had since "undergone training", Mr Reynolds said.
"We have done a lot of work with Secure Journeys to ensure staff are adequately trained to deal with that situation and have the adequate equipment to do so," he said.
But NSW Greens senator David Shoebridge said it was clear there was not enough work done to protect detainees and staff.
At least 12 people have escaped, separately, from Villawood while the company has been in control of the detention facility - an average of just under one a month.
Mr Reynolds defended Secure Journey's management of "atrocious incident(s)", including sexual assaults, saying 85 per cent of the 3824 immigrants detained in the financial year to March had a criminal history.
"Two-thirds of that number are high or extreme risk detainees. On occasion, there will be incidents between detainees, and they will be dealt with," he said.
He would not disclose the total penalties issued to Secure Journeys in relation to Villawood incidents, citing "legal and professional" reasons.
Instead, he took questions about the figure on notice, but confirmed he knew the amount Secure Journeys had been fined.
"This is a repeated situation where we have witnesses sitting there who have information and for one reason or another ... are refusing to give the information," Senator Shoebridge said.
