Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The intention is that the transition centre that you have been advised of and that the local community has been advised of will proceed in the facility that is currently there, with some renovation. As explained, that is intended to be very much a transit centre. It would be unusual for anyone to be there for more than two or three days at the most. It would probably be 24 hours. There is a substantial amount of other land there. Certainly a decision has been taken not to proceed with the earlier intention to build a large detention centre. There will be further reviews in the years ahead. Because of the dynamics of the situation with people in detention and with people coming illegally to the country, these things are reviewed on a regular basis every two to three years. We have just finished a major review. There is not another one planned for some time.

There has been no decision taken with regard to any other facility at any point in the future. We have a program—a comprehensive one—that has been announced, to close Woomera and upgrade Baxter. We also currently have the situation with Nauru and those that are arriving by boat illegally. So there are all these factors in what is obviously a very dynamic and fluid situation. At some point in the future, we will have another review about the suitability of detention centres in every part of Australia. That is the situation. We have no program, agenda or timing for a future review, but future reviews will be undertaken. But, in the existing one, we have decided against having a detention centre there and decided to have a transit centre there and in Brisbane. That is the existing situation.

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