Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said the police use of tear gas was ''a serious escalation of the issue'' and, following breakouts by hundreds of detainees at the weekend, showed the detention centre network was in chaos.

The main body for refugee support organisations, the Refugee Council of Australia, said mental health specialists had warned the government the use of indefinite detention would lead to self-harm and protest action because of ''deep frustration'' among detainees.

''Given that the police are dealing with people who are seeking asylum from persecution and not with convicted criminals in a prison, one would hope that police could respond to protest action with measures other than the use of tear gas,'' the council's chief executive, Paul Power, said.

Mr Bowen said the Australian Federal Police had determined tear gas was necessary to quell a protest involving 300 detainees on Sunday night, after damage was done to the facilities.

''They were concerned … the particular protest action had the capacity to turn more violent and they took the decision on the ground,'' he said.

An independent review would examine the response by detention centre operator Serco and Immigration Department staff. The AFP will conduct a separate investigation that could result in charges being laid against detainees.

Pamela Curr, of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, claimed the protest had followed a police and Serco ''snatch and grab'' of 11 detainees identified as troublemakers, who were then moved to a separate compound. She said 16 Immigration Department and Serco officers in the compound were alarmed as protesters came to get their friends and tried to lock themselves in cells, but the electric doors failed. Police officers came with tear gas to remove the officers.