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

The intention is to spend that appropriation immediately and as quickly as possible so those improvements will take place. It is a contingency plan that Baxter will not be required in full operation; therefore, it will be held as a reserve detention centre in case of unforeseen circumstances. As I mentioned earlier, the dynamics of this area are significant and many things happen in an unforeseen way. It is responsible to have facilities—and good facilities. The Woomera one has been closed because it was an unsatisfactory facility. There were other reasons as well, but it was clearly unsatisfactory. Baxter is now, I think, an excellent facility, and when we make these further improvements, with the oval that has now been completed and all the rest of the improvements, it will provide a good balance and an appropriate environment. But, to get it to the stage of being a facility which is appropriate to hold people under detention, we consider that nearly $5 million needs to be spent.

The expectation is that some time in the next 18 months to two years, if current trends continue and Christmas Island comes on stream, the Darwin facilities are improved and all other arrangements are in place, we will be in a position to hold Baxter as a reserve facility. That is factored into the calculations and is the nature of the release that you referred to.

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