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Title: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Immigration Detention Centres (Question No. 673)
Database: Senate Hansard

Date: 27-02-2012
Source: Senate
Parl No.: 43
Electorate
Interjector
Page: 908
Party: LP
Presenter
Status: Final
Question No.: 673
Questioner: Abetz, Sen Eric
Responder: Ludwig, Sen Joe
Speaker
Stage
Type
Context: QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
System Id: chamber/hansards/aa88dae2-44ba-4705-833a-d8b10600a4d0/0258

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Monday, 27 February 2012
Page: 908

Immigration Detention Centres

(Question No. 673)

Senator Abetz asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 30 May 2011:

(1) What measures and/or procedures are in place to prevent contraband or weapons being brought into detention centres.

(2) Since 1 January 2008, have any contraband or weapons been detected in detention centres; if so, can the following in relation to each detention centre be provided:

(a) what items were found;

(b) where those items were found;

(d) what action was taken against the person or persons identified as being involved.

Senator Ludwig: The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) Section 252 of the Migration Act 1958 provides detention service provider staff and officers of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship the powers to search clients for weapons. This includes powers to search clothing and property. In addition, there are a number of measures and procedures in place to prevent contraband or weapons from being brought into immigration detention facilities. These ensure the department is able to meet its obligations with regard to maintaining the good order of its detention facilities.

There are a range of items that are either not permitted or are controlled in detention facilities, such as weapons, illicit drugs and associated paraphernalia, alcohol, flammable sprays, liquids and solids, sharp items, pornographic or offensive material, mobile phones with visual and audio recording devices, and other visual and audio recording devices.

All clients and their property are screened before entering immigration detention facilities. Screening may include a client walking through screening equipment, or the passing of hand-held screening equipment over or around the client and the client's possessions, or passing the client's possessions through screening equipment. Any controlled items are stored securely with the client's property and cannot be accessed by the client. All controlled items are returned to the client when the person leaves immigration detention. Illegal items are secured and referred to the police.

All mail to people in immigration detention is screened and any item that is regarded as suspicious is opened in the presence of the client.

All staff and visitors entering immigration detention facilities are screened via x-ray facilities. Items brought into detention facilities are also screened and controlled items are stored securely. Illegal items are referred to the police. The Migration Act 1958 does not provide detention service provider staff or officers of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship the powers to search a visitor's clothing.

(2) Since 1 January 2008, there have been a number of items located in immigration detention facilities that are not permitted. These items may be located upon entry, during routine searches in immigration detention facilities or during other searches that occur from time to time often as a result of information. The table below summarises the detection of items that are not permitted in immigration detention facilities since 1 January 2008.

Actions taken by the detention services provider in relation to items located in immigration detention facilities that are not permitted are recorded in multiple systems depending upon the nature of the items located. The very detailed information sought in the question is not readily available in consolidated form and it would be a major task to manually interrogate relevant systems. The department estimates that this would take a departmental officer an average of 30 minutes for each incident. This equates to approximately 24 working days.

The possession of items not permitted in immigration detention facilities may affect the placement of the client within the immigration detention network. Action can also be taken against clients who exhibit illegal or antisocial behaviour, such as the possession of weapons or illicit drugs. The detention service provider may develop individual behavioural agreements with clients who exhibit illegal or antisocial behaviour, which allow for the implementation of interventionist or restrictive measures.

Recent amendments to the Migration Act make provision for a person to fail the character test if convicted of an offence while in immigration detention. This may, in turn, affect a client's visa outcome.

The following table summarises items detected in immigration detention facilities that are not permitted for the period 1 January 2008 to 30 May 2011.

Item	Facility	Date
Smoking implement	Villawood Immigration Detention Centre (IDC)	3/01/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	7/01/2008
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	8/01/2008
Non-prescribed medication	Villawood IDC	9/01/2008
Aerosol	Northern IDC	17/01/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	29/01/2008
Scissors, pool balls	Maribyrnong IDC	6/02/2008
Broken pool cue	Villawood IDC	9/02/2008
Metal bar,	Villawood IDC	9/02/2008
Razor blades, mop handle	Villawood IDC	12/02/2008
Hacksaw blade	Villawood IDC	15/02/2008
Straining ladle	Villawood IDC	16/02/2008
Money	Villawood IDC	17/02/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	18/02/2008
Scissors, money	Villawood IDC	21/02/2008
Timber plank, metal bar	Villawood IDC	21/02/2008
Timber planks, broken concrete	Villawood IDC	23/02/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	27/02/2008
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	28/02/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	8/03/2008
Non-prescribed medication	Maribyrnong IDC	21/03/2008
Timber plank	Villawood IDC	24/03/2008
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	30/03/2008
Syringe	Villawood IDC	6/04/2008
Green leaf matter	Maribyrnong IDC	8/04/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	10/04/2008
Non-prescribed medication, aerosols	Villawood IDC	11/04/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	15/04/2008
Scissors	Villawood IDC	25/04/2008
Non-prescribed medication, Knife	Villawood IDC	30/04/2008
Metal napkin holder	Villawood IDC	2/05/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	7/05/2008
Non-prescribed medication	Perth IDC	8/05/2008
Syringe	Villawood IDC	15/05/2008
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	18/05/2008
Razor blades	Villawood IDC	22/05/2008
Razor blades	Villawood IDC	22/05/2008
Camera in postal item	Villawood IDC	22/05/2008
Rope	Perth IDC	31/05/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	2/06/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	4/06/2008
Computer hard drive thrown over fence by visitor	Villawood IDC	13/06/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	17/06/2008
Camera phone, angel wire	Perth IDC	20/06/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	23/06/2008
Arrow	Northern IDC	24/06/2008
Non-prescribed medication	Villawood IDC	29/06/2008
Metal chain	Villawood IDC	29/06/2008
Modem	Villawood IDC	30/06/2008
Metal pipe, flexicuffs	Villawood IDC	4/07/2008
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	6/07/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	7/07/2008
Alcohol	Perth IDC	7/07/2008
Knife	Villawood IDC	7/07/2008
Electric cable	Villawood IDC	8/07/2008
Non-prescribed medication	Villawood IDC	9/07/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	21/07/2008
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	25/07/2008
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	4/08/2008
Green leaf matter	Maribyrnong IDC	11/08/2008
Syringe	Villawood IDC	14/08/2008
Phone	Villawood IDC	21/08/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	22/08/2008
Syringe	Villawood IDC	22/09/2008
Broken glass	Villawood IDC	22/09/2008
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	25/09/2008
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	3/10/2008
Alcohol	Construction Camp APOD	11/10/2008
Knife	Villawood IDC	15/10/2008
Non-prescribed medication	Maribyrnong IDC	21/10/2008
Razor	Villawood IDC	12/11/2008
Alcohol	Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation (BITA)	21/11/2008
Barbeque tongs	Villawood IDC	30/11/2008
Green leaf matter	South Australia Alternative Place of Detention (APOD)	17/12/2008
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	12/01/2009
Electric cable	Villawood IDC	10/02/2009
Folding blade	Villawood IDC	26/02/2009
Broom handle, electric cable razors	Villawood IDC	18/03/2009
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	20/04/2009
Rope, scissors, metal bar	Villawood IDC	9/05/2009
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	15/05/2009
Scissors	Maribyrnong IDC	19/05/2009
Green leaf matter	Maribyrnong IDC	26/06/2009
Non-prescribed medication	Villawood IDC	3/07/2009
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	16/07/2009
2 way radio	Villawood IDC	1/08/2009
Metal rods	Villawood IDC	1/08/2009
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	11/08/2009
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	12/08/2009
Syringe	Villawood IDC	26/08/2009
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	31/08/2009
Syringe	Villawood IDC	9/09/2009
White powder	Villawood IDC	10/09/2009
Metal bar	North West Point IDC	19/09/2009
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	16/11/2009
Knife	Maribyrnong IDC	23/11/2009
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	7/12/2009
Metal construction rod	Northern IDC	18/12/2009
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	23/12/2009
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	24/12/2009
Spanner, Allen key	Villawood IDC	24/12/2009
Non-permitted item	Villawood IDC	27/12/2009
Glass bottle	Maribyrnong IDC	28/12/2009
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	3/01/2010
Syringe	Maribyrnong IDC	7/01/2010
Glass Mirror	Maribyrnong IDC	7/01/2010
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	7/01/2010
Pornography	Northern IDC	16/02/2010
Metal bar, length of chain	Villawood IDC	16/02/2010
Pornography	Maribyrnong IDC	16/02/2010
Knife	Maribyrnong IDC	24/03/2010
Tools	Maribyrnong IDC	27/03/2010
Pornography	Maribyrnong IDC	27/03/2010
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	2/04/2010
Knife	Villawood IDC	11/04/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Villawood IDC	25/04/2010
Wire coils	Villawood IDC	26/04/2010
Wireless modem	Villawood IDC	27/04/2010
Pornography	Villawood IDC	6/05/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Maribyrnong IDC	11/05/2010
Broken Pool Cue	Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA)	15/05/2010
Knife	Villawood IDC	17/05/2010
Non-permitted item	Villawood IDC	23/05/2010
Camera phone, passport	Villawood IDC	25/05/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Maribyrnong IDC	27/05/2010
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	5/06/2010
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	11/06/2010
Money	Maribyrnong IDC	15/06/2010
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	29/06/2010
Camera phone	North West Point IDC	3/07/2010
Electric Cable	North West Point IDC	6/07/2010
Broken Objects	MITA	13/07/2010
Metal object, rods and other broken items	North West Point IDC	17/07/2010
Knife	North West Point IDC	23/07/2010
Scissors, needles	North West Point IDC	23/07/2010
Knife	BITA	28/07/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Maribyrnong IDC	29/07/2010
Stick	North West Point IDC	30/07/2010
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	31/07/2010
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	31/07/2010
Length of timber, fire extinguisher	Gwalia Lodge APOD	1/08/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Sydney Immigration Residential Housing (IRH)	10/08/2010
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	11/08/2010
Scissors, shifter, broken pool cue and other non-permitted items	Villawood IDC	11/08/2010
Money	North West Point IDC	11/08/2010
Non-permitted item	North West Point IDC	14/08/2010
Rope	North West Point IDC	17/08/2010
Mop Handle	Villawood IDC	18/08/2010
Camera phone	North West Point IDC	19/08/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	20/08/2010
Ropes	North West Point IDC	21/08/2010
Non-prescribed medication	MITA	22/08/2010
Camera phone	Construction Camp APOD	22/08/2010
Rope	North West Point IDC	25/08/2010
Electric cables	North West Point IDC	27/08/2010
Green leaf matter	Maribyrnong IDC	30/08/2010
Nail clippers	Villawood IDC	30/08/2010
Knife	Northern IDC	30/08/2010
Knife	Villawood IDC	1/09/2010
Syringe	Villawood IDC	3/09/2010
Rope	North West Point IDC	5/09/2010
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	7/09/2010
Knife, metal bar, pool ball, hoe, shovel pole	Villawood IDC	7/09/2010
White powder	Villawood IDC	8/09/2010
Scissors	Villawood IDC	8/09/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	10/09/2010
Scissors	Maribyrnong IDC	10/09/2010
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	10/09/2010
Alcohol	Asti Motel APOD	12/09/2010
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	12/09/2010
Knife	BITA	12/09/2010
Aerosol	Northern IDC	14/09/2010
Scissors	Phosphate Hill APOD	14/09/2010
Recording device	North West Point IDC	14/09/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	15/09/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	15/09/2010
Alcohol	Construction Camp APOD	16/09/2010
Scissors, metal pole, wooden stick and other non-permitted items	Villawood IDC	16/09/2010
lcohol	Construction Camp APOD	17/09/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Maribyrnong IDC	17/09/2010
Knife	Villawood IDC	17/09/2010
Alcohol	Construction Camp APOD	18/09/2010
Broom handles	North West Point IDC	19/09/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	21/09/2010
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	23/09/2010
Camera	Gwalia Lodge APOD	24/09/2010
Knife	Construction Camp APOD	24/09/2010
Rope	North West Point IDC	25/09/2010
Rope	North West Point IDC	26/09/2010
Green leaf matter	Villawood IDC	28/09/2010
Wire cutters	Villawood IDC	28/09/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	29/09/2010
MP3 player	North West Point IDC	29/09/2010
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	2/10/2010
Rope	Maribyrnong IDC	4/10/2010
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	6/10/2010
Rope	North West Point IDC	6/10/2010
Knife	North West Point IDC	8/10/2010
Alcohol	Construction Camp APOD	15/10/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	19/10/2010
Non-permitted items	North West Point IDC	24/10/2010
Knife, toy guns	Perth IDC	24/10/2010
Scissors	Gwalia Lodge APOD	26/10/2010
Camera phone	BITA	26/10/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	28/10/2010
Scissors	Perth IDC	2/11/2010
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	6/11/2010
Ceramic cup	Perth IDC	8/11/2010
Knife	North West Point IDC	9/11/2010
Scissors	Gwalia Lodge APOD	12/11/2010
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	25/11/2010
Non-permitted items	North West Point IDC	25/11/2010
Camera	BITA	27/11/2010
Screwdriver	Construction Camp APOD	29/11/2010
Scissors	Villawood IDC	30/11/2010
Extendable knife	North West Point IDC	1/12/2010
Money	Scherger IDC	1/12/2010
Scissors	North West Point IDC	1/12/2010
Knife, scissors	Gwalia Lodge APOD	3/12/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Gwalia Lodge APOD	14/12/2010
Non-prescribed medication	Inverbrackie APOD	20/12/2010
Rope	Maribyrnong IDC	20/12/2010
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	22/12/2010
Nail clippers	Curtin IDC	22/12/2010
Scissors	Scherger IDC	22/12/2010
Alcohol	Phosphate Hill APOD	24/12/2010
Alcohol	Darwin Airport Lodge APOD	29/12/2010
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	30/12/2010
Knife	Phosphate Hill APOD	31/12/2010
Screwdriver	North West Point IDC	3/01/2011
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	4/01/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	4/01/2011
SD card USB stick	North West Point IDC	5/01/2011
Pliers	BITA	5/01/2011
Rope	Villawood IDC	5/01/2011
Volley ball net on roof	Villawood IDC	6/01/2011
Mop handle	Villawood IDC	10/01/2011
Mop handle, smoking implement	Villawood IDC	13/01/2011
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	14/01/2011
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	19/01/2011
Rope	Maribyrnong IDC	19/01/2011
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	23/01/2011
Vacuum cleaner pipe	Maribyrnong IDC	25/01/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	25/01/2011
Alcohol	BITA	26/01/2011
Surveillance camera	Villawood IDC	26/01/2011
Nail	North West Point IDC	27/01/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	28/01/2011
Work tools	Villawood IDC	31/01/2011
Syringe	Villawood IDC	1/02/2011
Alcohol	Inverbrackie APOD	3/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	3/02/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	4/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	5/02/2011
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	6/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	6/02/2011
Non-permitted items on roof	Villawood IDC	6/02/2011
Camera phone	North West Point IDC	6/02/2011
Non-permitted items	Villawood IDC	7/02/2011
Camera phone	North West Point IDC	8/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	12/02/2011
Breath spray bottle	Villawood IDC	12/02/2011
Electric Cable	North West Point IDC	12/02/2011
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	13/02/2011
Scissors	Phosphate Hill APOD	15/02/2011
Alcohol	Darwin Airport lodge APOD	16/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	19/02/2011
Metal door opener, metal tubing	Villawood IDC	21/02/2011
Scissors	Villawood IDC	21/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	25/02/2011
Camera phone	North West Point IDC	25/02/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	26/02/2011
Rope	North West Point IDC	1/03/2011
Knife	Perth IDC	1/03/2011
Knife	North West Point IDC	2/03/2011
Scissors	North West Point IDC	2/03/2011
Scissors	North West Point IDC	3/03/2011
Metal rod, wire	North West Point IDC	4/03/2011
Knife	Inverbrackie APOD	7/03/2011
Non-prescribed medication	Northern IDC	9/03/2011
Knife, Money	Villawood IDC	9/03/2011
Electric cable	North West Point IDC	9/03/2011
Scissors and other non-permitted items	Construction Camp APOD	9/03/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	10/03/2011
Knife	Villawood IDC	10/03/2011
Wristband similar to visitors wristband	Villawood IDC	11/03/2011
Money	Villawood IDC	14/03/2011
Wristband similar to visitors wristband, knife	Villawood IDC	15/03/2011
Camera phone	Sydney IRH	15/03/2011
Length of timber	North West Point IDC	17/03/2011
Knife	Villawood IDC	17/03/2011
Aerosol	Villawood IDC	19/03/2011
Money	Villawood IDC	19/03/2011
Scissors	Villawood IDC	19/03/2011
Non-prescribed medication	North West Point IDC	20/03/2011
Camera phone and charger	North West Point IDC	21/03/2011
Metal rod	Villawood IDC	21/03/2011
Alcohol	Phosphate Hill APOD	22/03/2011
Metal poles	Villawood IDC	23/03/2011
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	24/03/2011
Scissors	North West Point IDC	26/03/2011
Metal and wooden poles	Construction Camp APOD	30/03/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	5/04/2011
Step ladder	Gwalia Lodge APOD	6/04/2011
Money	Villawood IDC	8/04/2011
Knife	Phosphate Hill APOD	11/04/2011
Heavy duty cling wrap	Villawood IDC	12/04/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	13/04/2011
Scissors	North West Point IDC	13/04/2011
USB	Curtin IDC	18/04/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	19/04/2011
Non-permitted item	North West Point IDC	19/04/2011
Syringe	Villawood IDC	19/04/2011
Pornography	Gwalia Lodge APOD	23/04/2011
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	25/04/2011
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	27/04/2011
Alcohol	Maribyrnong IDC	28/04/2011
Cooking oil	Northern IDC	1/05/2011
USB	North West Point IDC	2/05/2011
Non-prescribed medication	Scherger IDC	3/05/2011
Alcohol	Northern IDC	3/05/2011
Rope	North West Point IDC	3/05/2011
Ropes	Northern IDC	3/05/2011
Camera phones, money	Villawood IDC	4/05/2011
Money, scissors, metal pole	Villawood IDC	5/05/2011
Pool cue, knife	Northern IDC	6/05/2011
Metal pipe	Villawood IDC	6/05/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	6/05/2011
Alcohol	Curtin IDC	7/05/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	8/05/2011
Rope	North West Point IDC	9/05/2011
Scissors and broken items	Villawood IDC	10/05/2011
Camera phone	Villawood IDC	12/05/2011
Alcohol	Construction Camp APOD	14/05/2011
Alcohol	Villawood IDC	15/05/2011
Knife	Villawood IDC	15/05/2011
Smoking implement	Villawood IDC	16/05/2011
Pool cue	Northern IDC	16/05/2011
Metal strapping and wire	North West Point IDC	17/05/2011
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	19/05/2011
Camera phone	Maribyrnong IDC	19/05/2011
Camera phone	Curtin IDC	21/05/2011
Non-prescribed medication	Construction Camp APOD	23/05/2011
Alcohol	North West Point IDC	24/05/2011
Alcohol	Phosphate Hill APOD	24/05/2011
Non-prescribed medication	Construction Camp APOD	25/05/2011
Mop handle	Villawood IDC	26/05/2011
Pliers	Villawood IDC	26/05/2011
Alcohol	MITA	27/05/2011
Pornography	Curtin IDC	28/05/2011
Pornography	Curtin IDC	29/05/2011

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