Yongah Hill (Northam) Bulletin
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Latest news
Construction contract for Northam announced – 13 July 2011
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) today announced it has awarded John Holland Pty Ltd the contract for construction of the Yongah Hill immigration detention centre (IDC) at Northam. More detail about the announcement is available.
See: Construction Contract for Northam Announcement
Northam capacity to be reduced – 9 May 2011
The Australian Government has announced the capacity of the Yongah Hill immigration detention centre at Northam will be reduced.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, announced on May 9 that capacity at the Northam site would now come down to 600 single adult males from the 1500 originally announced in October last year.
This is as a result of Australia's engagement with regional partners, including the proposed transfer agreement with Malaysia of irregular maritime arrivals.
Despite the reduced capacity, Northam will be a secure facility with perimeter and internal fencing, electronic security measures and security staff, as well as appropriate contingency arrangements in place with WA Police and other emergency services.
The department is now working through the implications of the reduced capacity on the construction tender and other processes and will be in further contact with stakeholders in relation to these issues.
Community update
The latest Yongah Hill Community Update is available.
See: Yongah Hill Community Update – March 2012 ( 64KB PDF file)
Naming of Facility
On 2 February 2011, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, approved the name the of the Northam facility. The official name of the detention facility will be the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre (YHIDC).
'Yongah' is a local Aboriginal word meaning 'place of kangaroos' and the area was traditionally a place where Aboriginal people had hunted kangaroos.
After consultation and agreement with the Aboriginal elders in the Northam area, the Community Reference Group supported the name Yongah Hill.
Yongah Hill Community Reference Group (CRG)
The Yongah Hill CRG includes representatives from federal, state and local governments, local business interests, service providers and the wider community. Members have a variety of backgrounds representative of the local community, and are able to provide residents with a channel to raise issues and provide feedback.
The first meeting of the CRG was chaired by the department's then Western Australian State Director, John Moorhouse at the Northam Shire offices on 18 November 2010. The Committee has since met on eleven more occasions, most recently on 10 November 2011. The next CRG meeting will take place on Thursday, 8 December 2011.
The department is committed to providing clear and accurate information to residents on an ongoing basis.
The Minutes from the October 2011 Yongah Hill CRG meeting are available.
See: Minutes – Yongah Hill CRG Meeting 8 December 2011 ( 90KB PDF file)
Membership of the group will be reviewed regularly.
The Yongah Hill CRG membership is below.
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Paul Tomlinson | CEO, Avon Community Development Foundation President, Northam Chamber of Commerce |
| Larry Davies | Chief Executive Officer, Directions |
| John Proud | Managing Editor, The Avon Valley Advocate Deputy Chair, Northam Chamber of Commerce |
| Cr. Steven Pollard | President, Shire of Northam |
| Cr. Kathy Saunders | Deputy President, Shire of Northam |
| Neville Hale | Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Northam |
| Rebekah Burges | Executive Officer, Regional Development Australia |
| John Scott | Managing Director, CY O'Connor Institute |
| Grant Arthur | Director Regional Services, Wheatbelt Development Commission |
| Wendy Newman | CEO, Wheatbelt Development Commission |
| Paul West | CEO, Wheatbelt GP Network |
| Dr Marie Fox | General Practitioner, Wheatbelt GP Network |
| The Venerable Peter Bourne | Rector of Toodyay and Northam |
| Bruce Devereux | Business proprietor, Northam |
| Kathy Davis | Indigenous Representative |
| Stan Malinowski | Business proprietor, Northam |
Media release
The latest media releases from the government and the department regarding Northam are available.
See: Media Releases
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre (YHIDC)
The department has developed information on common questions about the establishment and operation of the YHIDC. This information will be updated regularly.
See: Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre – Frequently Asked Questions
Information and enquiries
People with enquiries or offers relating to the establishment of the YHIDC can contact the department through a special email address.
Email: northam@immi.gov.au