Photo caption wrong

Australian Financial Review - 24 April 2002

Dear Sir/Madam,

The caption on your photograph (Video 'fair picture' of detention, 24 April) is wrong.

The minor cut to the forehead the detainee sustained was entirely a self-inflicted injury. Furthermore, the detainee refused treatment from medical staff.

In fact, contrary to the assertions made in the article, two separate medical teams were physically prevented from administering treatment or accessing the area where detainees were injured.

Media reports also increasingly ignore the fact that the overwhelming majority of the detention population has been processed and received decisions on their applications.

For example, as at Friday 19 April, there were only 46 detainees of 336 detainees at the Curtin facility awaiting a primary decision.

In the main those who are still in detention are prolonging their time by choosing to appeal negative decisions. In almost 90 per cent of these appeal cases, the Department's original decision is upheld.

Stewart Foster
Director, Public Affairs
Dept of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs