'Letters from behind the wire'

Letter to the Editor
The Age
FAX: 03 9601 2414
2 October 2002

Dear Sir/Madam

Julian Burnside's contribution (Letters from behind the wire, 27 September) contains a number of factual inaccuracies that require correction.

Firstly, detainees are not required to queue for soap each time they have a shower. All detainees are provided with personal hygiene items including whole bars of soap. It is up to individual detainees to decide when they need to get more soap.

Women do not have to fill out an application form for their sanitary products. Products are issued by the medical staff or by a female officer if outside of general clinic hours. Female detainees may request as many products as they require. Products are discreetly wrapped and detainees are not asked to explain why they may use more than one pack.

There was only one 12-year-old female at the Woomera facility in the period to which Mr Burnside referred - at no time did this child ever wear nappies.

The allegation raised relating to access to toilet facilities is a variation of a similar allegation made over two years ago and found to be without substance. Toilet numbers are more than adequate to accommodate detainees, and the ratio of facilities to detainees has never been as low as claimed.

The claim regarding the lack of hygiene of toilet facilities is also completely unfounded. The bathing and toilet facilities at the centres meet strict Commonwealth Occupational Health and Safety requirements. They are cleaned and have hygiene inspections daily.

Lastly, with respect to the claims regarding the repayment of detention costs - the Department does not levy debts on people who are found to be refugees. Furthermore the Department does not issue explicit directions for people to repay detention costs within a specific timeframe but is willing to negotiate appropriate and reasonable schedules of repayment.

Yours sincerely

Roger Wheatley
Acting Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA