Baxter Immigration Reception and Processing Centre

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Baxter Immigration Reception and Processing Centre or commonly just Baxter Detention Centre, is an Australian immigration detention facility near the town of Port Augusta in South Australia. It is the focus of much of the controversy concerning the mandatory detention of asylum seekers in Australia. It is located on part of the site of the Australian Defence Force's El Alamein Army Barracks and became operational in September 2002.

[edit] Facility

The Centre was built by Thiess Constructions Proprietary Ltd, in partnership with Australasian Correctional Management (ACM). ACM and Thiess were chosen by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. Australasian Correctional Management is responsible for the administration of the Centre.

The Centre has suffered several arsons by protesting detainees, the latest on 12 November 2005 causing extensive damage and forcing the evacuation of 58 detainees, of whom 4 were treated for smoke inhalation. Minister for Immigration, Amanda Vanstone, said of the incident: "we don't expect however for people to resort to property damage as a way of handling that frustration and particularly property damage that can put the lives of others at risk." [1]