The federal government says immigration detention centres in Melbourne and Sydney can be closed as the number of boat arrivals has dropped under its policies.
In a statement on Wednesday, Refugee Action Coalition spokesperson Ian Rintoul called it a "meaningless announcement".
"The fact is that the government has increased detention capacity with new compounds being opened at Yongah Hill, and a high detention facility opening in the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation, to replace Maribynong," Mr Rintoul said.
"There has been no significant decrease in the numbers of people detained on the mainland. In November 2018, there were 544 people who had been in detention more than one year - up from 505 in September, 2018."
"Worse, it is inexcusable that the numbers of people being held in detention longer than a year keeps growing. In November 2018, 281 people had been in detention over two years."
SBS News has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for a response to Mr Rintoul's claims.
Earlier Wednesday, the government announced two of the country's nine high-security immigration detention centres are being closed in what it said was a vindication of its border protection policy.
