Amnesty says companies complicit in Nauru abuse

Amnesty International is warning companies servicing the Australian-run refugee detention centre on Nauru that they are complicit in human rights abuse.

The international agency in a new report, 'Treasure I$land' says the main contractor on the island, the Spanish multi-national Ferrovial, through its subsidiary, Broadspectrum, has made millions, perhaps billions of dollars, out of running the camps.

Amnesty, which for years has detailed the abuse suffered by people who had been seeking refugee status in Australia, said the profits made by Broadspectrum were much higher than their other business operations.

While Ferrovial has said it would not seek to renew its contract when it expires in October, Amnesty's New Zealand campaigns director, Meg deRonde, said companies thinking of stepping in must know it would leave a massive stain on their reputations.

"Very clearly, profits cannot come before the human rights of people and that for any company looking to take up these contracts they need to understand that this is a discredited system that clearly breaks international law, and clearly abuses thousands of men, women and children."