Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

The warnings are the two that I have referred to. Clearly, as I have said continuously, I have recognised for some time, since last September, that we needed to reduce pressure on the detention centre at Christmas Island. One of the reasons we needed to reduce the pressure on the detention centre at Christmas Island was the pressure that that created in relation to the management of the detention centre. I have made that clear. That is why I announced the mainland detention centres to relieve the pressure on Christmas Island. I did that in response to advice from my department that the pressure on Christmas Island should be reduced. I have done that, against the opposition of those members opposite, who said that those detention centres were not necessary.

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