Pacific / Nauru

Australia stands down Nauru camp guards

20:15 pm on 15 April 2015

Eight security guards from Australia's detention centre in Nauru who attended a recent Reclaim Australia rally and posted a series of anti-Islamic rants on social media have been stood down and face investigation.

Refugees on Nauru protesting on 7 April 2015 at Anibare camp against offshore processing in defiance of a new law that requires protesters to give seven days notice of any protest and gives the police commissioner sole power to allow a protest, or not. Photo: Supplied by Refugee Action Coalition

Australian media reports say the group - seven of whom are former Australian Defence personnel - are part of the emergency response team on Nauru and are employed by Wilson Security.

A spokesman for Transfield Services, which engages Wilson staff as subcontractors, said the Facebook posts by the men, which included a group picture with Pauline Hanson at the Reclaim rally in Brisbane earlier this month, were unacceptable and would be investigated.

A spokesman for the Immigration Department says service provider staff were expected to act appropriately and with integrity in all their dealings with the people in their care.