Unlawfuls Detained Climbs to 80 as Immigration Crackdown Continues
Media Release - DPS 75/2002
The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) said today that it had detained a further six unlawful non-citizens and one person in breach of their visa conditions over the last two days, bringing the total to 80 in the ongoing crackdown on illegal workers in the construction industry.
Staff from DIMIA located three South Koreans, two Chinese Nationals and a Fijian who were in Australia unlawfully, and one Chinese national in breach of his visa conditions.
The seven men were believed to be working illegally in the building industry.
The three Koreans were located at a Campsie residence, the remaining four were located at a building site in Paddington.
Of the seven located, one had been working as a tiler, one as a gyprocker, one as a welder and four were working as builders labourers.
All seven men have been transferred to the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney.
The group will remain in detention, while arrangements are made for their departure from Australia, as required by law.
Earlier last week, DIMIA announced that 73 unlawful non-citizens had been detained following a series of compliance operations aimed at targetting illegal workers in the building industry in the Sydney area.
Those detained included people from South Korea, the People's Republic of China, the Philippines, Ireland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Ukraine.
The series of operations were undertaken following a number of reports from numerous sources about illegal workers in the construction industry.
DIMIA takes all complaints seriously and fully investigates all allegations.
In the 2001-02 financial year the Department located 17,307 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions.
This includes people lawfully in Australia who were found working in breach of their visa conditions as well as people who were unlawfully in the country.
The number of locations has increased significantly since 2000-01, when 14,238 overstayers and people breaching visa conditions were detained.
DIMIA officers make regular visits to workplaces in many parts of Australia, such as restaurants, farms, shops, offices, factories and brothels, in an effort to detect and locate people who are in the country illegally or who are working illegally.
DIMIA may also issue warning notices to employers or labour suppliers who are found to have employed illegal workers.
25 September 2002
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