Progress made in long-term immigration detention cases
Wednesday 24 September 2008
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, today tabled in Parliament the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s latest assessment of long-term immigration detainees.
Senator Evans said the report covered 20 assessments relating to 19 people in immigration detention for longer than two years. Of these 19 people, only one remains in immigration detention and is awaiting removal from Australia. The other 18 people have all had their cases resolved and have either been removed, left voluntarily or been granted a visa.
‘The Rudd Government is committed to taking a proactive approach to the prompt resolution of a person’s immigration status – particularly those in immigration detention,’ Senator Evans said.
Senator Evans also tabled a progress report relating to the long term detainee review of 72 cases conducted earlier this year, in consultation with the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
‘We have been working hard to resolve these cases, rather than leave them in the too-hard basket – too often the default position of the former government,’ Senator Evans said.
Of the 72 long-term immigration detention cases reviewed earlier this year:
- 29 have already been granted permanent or temporary visas, while eight are progressing with their Public Interest Criteria checks for a visa
- 12 of the 24 people on a removal pathway have been removed from Australia
- seven people are subject to ongoing legal proceedings which is impeding resolution of their cases, while four have been released after a recent Federal Court decision.
Senator Evans said the 12 removals included some of the most difficult cases of recent years, including three people who had been in immigration detention for more than six years. The minister said the number of people in immigration detention was at its lowest level since 1994. As at 12 September 2008, there were 274 people in immigration detention, compared with 449 people in November 2007 and a high of 3728 people in March 2000.
Senator Evans said he was looking forward to further improvements in the prompt resolution of detention cases as the Government’s New Directions in Detention policy is implemented over coming months.
‘The Rudd Government’s new immigration detention policy will take a risk-based approach which will ensure we maintain a strong stance on border security on the one hand, while also treating people fairly and humanely on the other,’ Senator Evans said.
‘My department has already commenced work on an implementation plan to give effect to these values.’
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/media/media-releases/2008/ce08092.htm
Last update: 24 September 2008 at 15:50 AEST