Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Hansard source

The simple answer to the senator's question is yes. When Labor assumed office in 2007, there were four people in immigration detention and none of them were children. The Christmas Island detention centre was empty. Due to policy failure after policy failure, the former Labor government had to open or reopen a number of detention centres including Inverbrackie, Pottsville, Wickham Point, Curtin, Scherger, Yongah Hill, Blaydin Point, Darwin Airport Lodge, Berrima House, Adelaide transit accommodation, Brisbane transit accommodation, Port Augusta residential housing. I can confirm for the Senate that under the Abbott government we are doing the exact opposite; we are now closing detention centres and in fact we have already closed a significant number of facilities. Inverbrackie is due to close by mid 2015. Aqua and Lilac APODs on Christmas Island will also close by then and we will save the Australian taxpayer $283 million over four years. (Time expired)