NSW:Woomera to be scaled down following centres review
SYDNEY, April 11 AAP - The Woomera Detention Centre will be scaled down, the Curtincentre mothballed and a new facility opened in South Australia following a federal governmentreview.
Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock announced the scaling back at a press conferencein Sydney today.
The troubled South Australian detention centre at Woomera - recently the focus of protestsand escapes - would be cut down from a capacity of 2000 to just 800, Mr Ruddock said.
The new Baxter centre, near Port Augusta in South Australia, would offer accommodationin a more friendly environment for asylum seekers including units with two bedrooms anden-suites, he said.
It would house up to 1200 people and is expected to open in June taking in the asylumseekers from the remote Curtin facility in Western Australia when it winds down.
"It's a centre that doesn't have the more obvious manifestations of a detention centre- razor wire and copious palisade fencing," Mr Ruddock told reporters.
"It involves a number of internally configurated compounds which enable people to livein smaller communities with a high degree of amenity."
In a statement the minister said "the use of smaller compounds will allow the moreeffective distribution and management of detainees in a more friendly environment".
The immigration processing centre on Christmas Island will be able to accommodate 1200asylum seekers by the end of the year and the Port Hedland centre in Western Australiawill continue to operate as normal.
The government will also retain the option to build a further centre at 11 Mile AntennaeFarm in Darwin.
Troublemakers will be split up between the centres to avoid problems such as riots,Mr Ruddock said.
But he said there was less demand for detention centres with the people smuggling businessin Indonesia in disarray.
The minister said that for five months no boats had attempted the journey to Australia,the best record in four years.
"What we're hearing is that the smugglers are in disarray," Mr Ruddock said.
"There are still some people trying to put together operations that might involve Australiaor destinations further afield, but they are having enormous difficulty with their clients.
"People haven't got the money and people aren't prepared to put money up unless peopleactually have boats that are ready to go."
Meanwhile, Mr Ruddock said he would tomorrow announce detailed plans to meet Europeanand other leaders to discuss people smuggling, immigration and re-settlement issues.
AAP aa/arb/ldj/sb
KEYWORD: DETENTION RUDDOCK LEAD
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