Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's claim that children in detention received daily care was not true and he needed to be "better advised", the Australian Human Rights Commission president says.
Professor Gillian Triggs also said there was evidence detained children had tried to poison themselves, despite Mr Morrison's statement the assertions were "sensational".
The third hearing of the commission's inquiry into children in detention on Thursday was told the Immigration Department had advised the independent health provider on Christmas Island not to publish a report that showed alarming rates of mental health issues among child detainees.
Professor Triggs said there was also evidence children had swallowed detergents or other poisons, put plastic bags over their heads, cut themselves and used the hijab to try to hang themselves.
"The head-banging is very common," she told the ABC's 7:30 program.
She said Mr Morrison needed better advice if he doubted the evidence.
"I'm afraid I believe that the minister needs to be better advised."
Professor Triggs said all children should be removed from the detention centres and placed in the community.
She also said Mr Morrison's statement that children in detention received daily care was not true.
"It doesn't appear to be true on the evidence that we're receiving," she said.
The poor health of children on Christmas Island would be unacceptable if it were found in a Sydney suburb, Professor Triggs said.
"There were children with big lumps, untreated sores, red eyes.
"But most of them were coughing, had asthmatic conditions or stomach complaints. You would not tolerate that as a neighbour, as somebody meeting another person in a school environment.
"There, it's endemic."
