DIMIA Annual Report 2001-02
OUTPUT 1.5 OFFSHORE ASYLUM SEEKER MANAGEMENT
1.5.1 Other countries
Objective
To facilitate the effective management and operations of offshore processing centres in third countries.
Description
This was a new output created in the 2001-02 Additional Estimates to separately identify offshore asylum seeker management.
Key results
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a processing centre on Nauru was established on 10 September 2001 following the signing that day of an Administrative Agreement and Statement of Principles.
This agreement provided for Nauru to accommodate asylum seekers for processing until 1 May 2002.
An MOU replacing the Administrative Agreement was signed on 11 December 2001, which allowed for up to 1,200 persons to be accommodated at any one time -
an MOU was signed with the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) on 11 October 2001.
This agreement established a processing centre to accommodate and assess the claims of asylum seekers on Manus Island.
The agreement with PNG provides for the facility at Manus Island to have a potential capacity of 1,000 places -
the department exchanged letters with the IOM in September 2001 for it to manage and provide services at the offshore processing centres.
Services provided include management of accommodation, medical and health care, counselling and other special needs.
The IOM is also contracted to provide transportation and any subsequent removal arrangements -
facilities first identified in August 2001 in both Nauru and Manus were transformed into fully operational offshore processing centres, through the development of infrastructure programs
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management of health issues was an ongoing priority for the IOM and high standards were maintained.
The medical regime allowed cases to be escalated in the light of the services available.
The health teams included doctors, psychiatric services and clinical nurses. Doctor-patient ratios have been as low as 1:60 and ranged up to 1:230, compared to around 1:800 in Australia -
asylum seekers were provided with a range of educational and welfare services.
English lessons were provided and equipment was made available for a range of sporting activities.
Satellite television, including an Arabic-language channel was available daily and small libraries were established -
open channels of communication were implemented at both centres. Asylum seekers had access to faxes and telephones and could send and receive mail
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schools, kindergartens, playgrounds and toys were made available for children at both centres and special programs were put in place for unaccompanied minors. In Nauru some asylum seeker children attended local schools
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food provided to asylum seekers at both centres was of high quality and culturally sensitive to the needs of the diverse ethnic populations.
Special arrangements were made to hold reserve food stocks to ensure that no food shortages occurred even though in some cases the local community experienced food shortages -
security was provided by the respective national authorities in conjunction with the Australian Protective Services. Firms subcontracted by the IOM provide perimeter surveillance
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the department established a framework for managing the operations of the centres including the development of a risk management strategy, contingency plans for the management of security incidents and the formulation of a business plan
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UNHCR and departmental officials were involved in processing the claims of asylum seekers at the Nauru processing centre against the Refugee Convention requirements.
Processing of claims at the Manus centre was conducted by departmental officials. On both locations processing included conducting pre-decision information sessions, handing down of decisions, and undertaking post-decision counselling.
Unsuccessful applicants were able to seek an administrative review of their decision. In the case of the departmental review process, the applicant is reinterviewed by a different, more senior officer -
before the end of the financial year a total of 1,480 refugee decisions (513 by UNHCR and 967 by the department) were made in relation to persons taken to the processing centres in Manus and on Nauru, some of whom have since departed.
Sixteen people in these centres were awaiting an initial decision on their claims as at 30 June 2002 -
at the end of the financial year there were 1,084 asylum seekers on Nauru and 340 in Manus against an actual total capacity of approximately 1,900 (1,200 and 700 respectively).
IOM continued infrastructure development at the Manus facility to bring it up to the capacity allowed for under the terms of the MOU.
There has also been significant enhancement of amenity at the centre, e.g. an expanded medical centre, additional office space and further accommodation for security personnel -
the benefits of developing the processing centres also flowed to local communities.
In Manus upgrading of local infrastructure to provide a more reliable processing centre environment included upgrading local electricity, water and sewerage, and the provision of training to the local police.
1.5.2 Offshore territories
Objective
To facilitate the effective management and operations of processing centres in offshore territories.
Description
This was a new output created in the 2001-02 Additional Estimates to separately identify offshore asylum seeker management.
Key results
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development of temporary detention facilities for around 300 people at Phosphate Hill, Christmas Island
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development of temporary detention facilities for around 100 people on Cocos (Keeling) Island
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completion of a design brief, commissioning and selection of a preferred design concept for the first purpose designed and built IRPC in Australia (Christmas Island)
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execution of a contract for the design and construction of the IRPC on Christmas Island following a rigorous tender process
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establishment and implementation of a robust refugee status assessment process, modelled closely on UNHCR processes to assess asylum claims from unauthorised arrivals entering Australia at excised offshore places.
This process is followed also in declared countries and described above under Output 1.5.1 -
At the end of the financial year there were 57 asylum seekers on Christmas Island and none on Cocos (Keeling) Island.