Post the Migration Joint Committee visit to Christmas Island, Senator Chris Evans the Minister for Immigration has announced major changes to Australia's Immigration Policy.
To read the Minister for Immigraton's speech, please click here.
Michael Danby Leads Inspection at new Detention Centre on Xmas Is.
Michael Danby, whose Joint Parliamentary Committee for Migration is conducting an investigation of Australia's detention policies was interviewed whilst standing above the hill overlooking Xmas Island detention centre. He told the Melbourne Age, 'that the Christmas Island detention centre is a grandiose waste of money'. To view his comments in the Melbourne Age.
Earlier, Danby as Chair of the Migration Committee explained the reasons for the Joint Parliamentary on Migration enquiry into Australian Detention policy. To read his comments from the International Herald Tribune.
The offical Media Release regarding the Joint Parliamentary Committe for Migration visit to Detention Centres in Darwin and Xmas Island was as follows:
Parliamentary Committee to Inspect New $396 million Detention Centre on Christmas Island
The Joint Standing Committee on Migration will visit immigration detention facilities in Darwin and Christmas Island next week as part of its inquiry into immigration detention in Australia.
"This visit will give the Committee a clearer understanding of border security in Australia's northern waters, and assist us in determining the most appropriate and humane means of responding", said Chair Michael Danby.
In Darwin on Monday 7 July, the Committee visited the Northern Immigration Detention Centre, which is primarily for the short-term detention of Indonesian illegal fishers, and the local hotel where minors are held while awaiting deportation.
"In 2006-07, a total of 1,391 illegal foreign fishers were detained in Australia," said Mr Danby, "Some of these are unaccompanied minors so the Darwin facilities have a unique client profile in contrast to the rest of Australia's detention centres".
On Christmas Island on Tuesday 8 July, the Committee will visit the temporary detention facility at Phosphate Hill as well as the newly operational $396 million facility built by the previous Government. Both facilities, with a combined maximum capacity of over 1000 people, are currently empty.
Parliamentary Committee on Migration Chair, Michael Danby MP, pictured above with Tony Zappia MP and Senator Anne McEwan inside the administrative core of the Christmas Island Detention Centre.
Mr Danby said, "As part of the inquiry we will be looking at current detention practices and the cost-effectiveness of existing facilities with a view to developing a blueprint for Australia's future immigration detention policy and centres".
The Committee is inquiring into and reporting on issues such as:
For background information, including the full terms of reference, please visit the inquiry website at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/mig/detention/index.htm
or contact the Committee Secretariat on (02) 6277 4560 or jscm@aph.gov.au.
Christmas Island Detention Centre
![xmas_1[1]](photos/xmas_1[1].jpg "xmas_1[1]")
It has been estimated that the new facility (pictured above), which includes a football field, hairdressing salon and detainee garden plots, will cost the Commonwealth $32 million a year in operational and maintenance costs, even if it has no detainees.
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