Australian immigration detention facilities
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Australian immigration detention facilities comprise a number of different facilities throughout Australia and the Pacific Ocean. They are used to house people who are detained under Australia’s policy of mandatory detention and the Pacific Solution. Most facilities are operated by Global Solutions Limited (GSL) under contract from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA)[citation needed].
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[edit] Background
Since the 1990s when the Paul Keating ALP government enforced a policy of mandatory detention of unauthorised arrivals[citation needed], non-citizens arriving by boat without a valid visa were detained until they were either granted a visa, or deported.
Towards the end of the 1990s, a large increase in the number of unauthorised arrivals exceeded the capacity of the existing Immigration Reception and Processing Centres at Port Hedland and Curtin[citation needed].
[edit] Facilities
[edit] Immigration Detention Centres (IDCs)
According to DIMA, IDC’s “mainly accommodate over-stayers, people in breach of their visa conditions, or people refused entry at Australia's international airports”
[edit] Immigration Reception and Processing Centres (IRPCs)
According to DIMIA, IRPCs are “primarily used for unauthorised boat arrivals”
- Baxter
- Christmas Island
- Port Hedland – no longer operational
- Curtin – no longer operational
- Woomera – no longer operational
[edit] Residential Housing Projects (RHPs)
According to DIMA, RHPs “provide a flexible detention arrangement to enable women and children to live in family style accommodation while remaining in immigration detention.”
- Port Augusta
- Port Hedland – no longer operational
- Woomera – no longer operational
[edit] Pacific Solution facilities
Since the implementation of the Pacific Solution Australia also funded immigration detention centres on:[citation needed]
- Manus Island – no longer operational
- Nauru – no longer operational
Both centres were closed during the first week of February 2008.
[edit] Controversy
The facilities have been a source of much controversy during their time of operation. There have been a number of riots and escapes[citation needed], as well as accusations of human rights abuses from groups as diverse as refugee advocates, Amnesty International, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations[citation needed].
In March 2002, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan, said:
It is obvious that the prolonged periods of detention, characterised by frustration and insecurity, are doing further damage to individuals who have fled grave human rights abuses. The detention policy has failed as a deterrent and succeeded only as punishment.
How much longer will children and their families be punished for seeking safety from persecution?—Irene Khan, Irene Khan
Former Prime Minister John Howard and successive immigration ministers maintained that their actions were justified in the interests of protecting Australia's borders and ensuring that immigration law was enforced[citation needed]. A 2004 Liberal Party election policy document stated:
Only Australian citizens and permanent residents should have the unrestricted right to travel to, and remain in, Australia. All other people must have an authority, issued by the Australian Government, to travel to, enter or stay in Australia.
The Coalition's border protection policy has two objectives: to deter people from arriving in Australia unlawfully, and to deal efficiently and humanely with people who arrive unlawfully, by either speedily returning them to their homeland, or by offering Australia's protection if they are genuine refugees.—Liberal Party of Australia, Liberal Party 2004 election policy
