Detained men treated well

Letter to the Editor - Northern Territory News
18 March 2004

Dear Sir/Madam

Edith Bevin's emotive language (Anger as masons marched off site, 18 March) in no way reflects the reality of the situation involving the location and detention of five Indonesian nationals at a building site in Darwin yesterday.

The immigration compliance visit to the construction site was simply a straightforward operation to locate non-citizens not abiding by the conditions of their visas, like the many others conducted almost daily around Australia.

Contrary to the picture painted by Ms Bevin, yesterday's operation was conducted without incident, in a relaxed atmosphere and no force was used or necessary. Indeed the five men in question were comfortable and cooperative throughout and work was able to continue on the site while the immigration officers explained the reasons for their visit.

As is normal practice, the men were gently pat searched to ensure they were not carrying any sharp or potentially dangerous objects before being transferred to the immigration offices in a modified, airconditioned four-wheel drive vehicle. That vehicle does not have a cage.

Following interviews, it was determined that the men were working in breach of their visa conditions and their visas were cancelled as a result. All five were granted bridging visas in order to make arrangements for their required departure from Australia, as many thousands of others are required to do each year.

In fact, last financial year the Department dealt with over 21 000 people who overstayed their visas or breached their visa conditions.

Stewart Foster
Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA