Boatpeople rush to get legal assistance

Letter to the Editor - not yet published
The Australian

Dear Sir/Madam,

Terry Plane's article (Boatpeople rush to get legal assistance, 12 December 2001) requires clarification.

Firstly, the Department takes very seriously its responsibilities to meet the fundamental needs of detainees.

The detention program is closely scrutinised by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, the Immigration Detention Advisory Group and the Australian Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Migration.

All have reported their general satisfaction with the delivery of detention services.

In addition there have been a number of media tours to detention centres throughout the year, including the Woomera facility.

Mr Plane has participated in at least one such tour and seen the facilities firsthand.

Qualified medical assistance is available to detainees 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are two general practitioners on site at the Woomera detention facility with a third available for 3 hours each day.

In addition there are three psychologists and approximately 16 permanent nursing staff. There would be many rural communities in Australia that would envy this level of health services.

Furthermore, detainees who require specialist treatment (psychiatric as well as medical) are referred to or transferred to specialist institutions or to community hospitals. Detainees are also provided with dental services when required.

Detainees are normally referred to by their name, but at times a detainee's identity number is used to ensure that, in circumstances where there are common or unusual names, the correct person is identified.

The location of the Woomera facility was based on a number of factors, including the availability of a Commonwealth site with established facilities that could be quickly developed when the influx of boat arrivals in late 1999 placed enormous pressure on the detention program.

Facilities are also chosen according to the capacity to accommodate large numbers in a secure environment; and the capacity to quarantine unauthorised arrivals while health issues are addressed.

Stewart Foster
Director, Public Affairs
DIMIA
12 December 2001