6   DETENTION FACILITY AT INVERBRACKIE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The order of the day having been read for the resumption of the debate on the motion of Mr Briggs—That this House:

(1)    notes:

(a)    the announcement on 18 October 2010 by the Prime Minister and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship about the commissioning of a detention facility at Inverbrackie in South Australia costing $9.7 million to accommodate 400 people, consisting of family groups who are undergoing refugee status assessment;

(b)   that the Prime Minister and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship failed to consult with the State Government of SA, the Adelaide Hills Council and the local Woodside community on the commissioning of this facility; and

(c)    that the Prime Minister visited the Adelaide Hills on the Sunday, 17 October 2010, immediately prior to the announcement and made no mention of the plan to commission the detention facility at Inverbrackie;

(2)    provides a reference to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration to undertake the following inquiry:

(a)    that the Joint Standing Committee on Migration inquire into the commissioning of a detention facility for 400 people comprising family groups at Inverbrackie, including:

(i)    the suitability of the site for locating a detention facility for the purpose of accommodating family groups in comparison with alternative options available to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship;

(ii)   the impact of the operation of the facility on the local community, including on health, education, recreation, transport, police and other community services;

(iii)  the impact on defence operations, personnel and family groups based at the Inverbrackie facility;

(iv)  the impact of the facility on the local economy and small business;

(v)   the level of community support for the commissioning of the facility;

(vi)  the level of cost and extent of services and facilities provided to clients at the detention facility; and

(vii) potential risks that need to be managed for the successful operation of the facility;

(b)   that the Joint Standing Committee on Migration undertake public hearings in Woodside, SA and Canberra, ACT to facilitate the participation of community members, local service providers, council officers and state and federal departmental officials to assist the Committee with its inquiry; and

(c)    that the Joint Standing Committee on Migration report back no later than the first sitting week of Parliament in 2011; and

(3)    calls on the Government to postpone commissioning the detention facility for 400 people including family groups at Inverbrackie, until such time as the Committee has reported and the Government has provided a response to that report to the Parliament ( see item No. 2, Votes and Proceedings )—

Debate resumed.

The time allotted for private Members’ business having expired, the debate was interrupted, and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Suspension of meeting

At 1.30 p.m., the Deputy Speaker left the Chair.

Resumption of meeting

At 4.03 p.m., the Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair.