Secrecy exemption should extend to Nauru teachers

06:04 am on 24 October 2016

A refugee advocacy group says teachers should also be exempt from the threat of imprisonment as punishment for speaking out on Australia's detention centres.

The secrecy provision of the Border Force Act bans anyone working in Australia's immigration camps on Nauru or Manus Island from making unauthorised public statements.

This week an amendment was signed to exempt health professionals from the restrictions.

But the Refugee Advocacy Coalition's Ian Rintoul told Daniela Maoate-Cox teachers should also be included.

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The secrecy provision of the Border Force Act prohibits anyone who works within the immigration detention system from making unauthorised comments about conditions in the camps. Photo: Laurent HAMELS / Photononstop