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North West Point Immigration Detention Centre, formerly Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre is an Australian immigration detention facility located on
Christmas Island Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an States and territories of Australia#External territories, Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean comprising the island of the same name. It is about south o ...
in the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
. , no people are detained at the centre. The last time it was occupied was August 2023 (36 detainees).


History

Temporary facilities for
asylum seekers An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country, and makes in that other country a formal application for the right of asylum according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 14. A pers ...
were established on Christmas Island at Phosphate Hill in late 2001. This temporary facility was found inadequate in terms of size, amenity and security. On 12 March 2002, the Australian Government announced the replacement of the existing temporary facility and the construction of a purpose designed and built immigration reception and processing centre (IRPC) on Christmas Island with a capacity of 1,200 people. In June 2002, after a tender process, a contractor was appointed to design and construct the facility on a fast track basis. Due to the reduction in the number of boat arrivals in 2001 and 2002 (boat arrivals had reached the Australian mainland since mid-2001), the Australian Government announced on 19 February 2003 to scale back the proposed 1,200 person IRPC to 800 places. The existing construction contract was terminated. In September 2003, it was decided to proceed with the construction of the centre with accommodation capacity for approximately 800 people; 416 housed in purpose-designed and built accommodation units, and a further 384 in basic contingency accommodation.


Protests

There have been several protests staged over conditions at the Christmas Island Centre. In 2011, more than 250 detainees hurled rocks at staff and set fire to the accommodation block, causing a substantial amount of damage. They were subdued by
tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the Mace (spray), early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the ey ...
and
bean bag round A bean bag round, also known by its trademarked name flexible baton round, is a type of baton round, fired from a shotgun, and used for Non-lethal weapon, less lethal apprehension of suspects. Description The bean bag round typically consists ...
s, one of the first times bean bag bullets were used in Australia. The protest was against the conditions and length of time people were held there. In early 2014, about 375 detainees went on a
hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance where participants fasting, fast as an act of political protest, usually with the objective of achieving a specific goal, such as a policy change. Hunger strikers that do not take fluids are ...
, seven stitching their lips together in protest and as a sign of solidarity for Iranian asylum seeker
Reza Barati Reza Barati was a 23-year-old asylum seeker who was killed during an orchestrated attack on inmates at the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre (MIRPC), Papua New Guinea, on 17 February 2014. An Iranian Kurd, he had arrived in Australia on 2 ...
. Further unrest occurred in 2014 after mothers concerned about the living conditions at Construction Camp for their babies had a meeting with immigration officials. The mothers were reportedly told "you will never be settled in Australia. You will be going to
Nauru Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies within the Micronesia subregion of Oceania, with its nearest neighbour being Banaba (part of ...
or
Manus Island Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth-largest island in Papua New Guinea, with an area of , measuring around . Manus Island is covered in rugged jungles w ...
and that's the end of the story." Following this message, it was reported that the mothers started screaming and threatened to set fire to the camp and were arrested. The
Department of Immigration and Border Protection The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) was a department of the Government of Australia that was responsible for immigration, citizenship and border control (including visa issuance). It has now been subsumed into the Depar ...
confirmed that following this arrest seven individuals made threats of
self-harm Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and s ...
and four committed self-harm. Ten mothers were placed on "guided supportive and monitoring engagement" under the PSP, requiring 24-hour surveillance by a
Serco Serco Group plc is a British multinational corporation, multinational military, defence, Healthcare, health, Space industry, space, private prison, justice, Human migration, migration, customer service, customer services, and transport company ...
officer. On 9 November 2015, a riot began at the centre after the death of an asylum seeker. The man escaped the centre and was found at the bottom of a cliff. Those involved in the rioting included criminals facing deportation. Damage to the centre was thought to be as high as , equivalent to in . Detainees involved were flown to
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
and placed in a maximum security prison.


Legal proceedings: 2014

On 26 August 2014, a class action was filed in the
Supreme Court of Victoria The Supreme Court of Victoria is the highest court in the Australian state of Victoria. Founded in 1852, it is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited and inherent jurisdiction within the state. The Supreme Court compri ...
by law firm
Maurice Blackburn Maurice McCrae Blackburn (19 November 1880 – 31 March 1944) was an Australian politician and socialist lawyer, noted for his protection of the interests of workers and the establishment of the legal firm known as Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. ...
on behalf of a six-year-old girl against the
Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The executive consists of the pr ...
, claiming
negligence Negligence ( Lat. ''negligentia'') is a failure to exercise appropriate care expected to be exercised in similar circumstances. Within the scope of tort law, negligence pertains to harm caused by the violation of a duty of care through a neg ...
in providing health care for Christmas Island detainees. The girl claims to have developed a dental infection,
stammer Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder characterized externally by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases as well as involuntary silent pauses called blocks in which the person who ...
,
separation anxiety Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is an anxiety disorder in which an individual experiences excessive anxiety regarding separation from home and/or from people to whom the individual has a strong emotional attachment (e.g., a parent, caregive ...
and began wetting her bed while detained on Christmas Island for over a year. The claim, if successful, could provide potential redress for over a thousand asylum seekers.


Closure: October 2018

On 31 October 2017, there were 314 asylum seekers held in the centre. On 23 November 2017, it was announced that the centre would close "within seven months". The facility was closed in October 2018.


Re-opening announced: February 2019

In February 2019, the
Morrison government The Morrison government was the Australian Government, federal executive government of Australia, led by Prime Minister of Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison of the Liberal Party of Australia, between 2018 and 2022. The Morrison governmen ...
announced plans to re-open the centre, after parliament had passed a bill known as the '' Medevac bill'' opposed by the Prime Minister and his party, allowing medical professionals to have a greater say in the transfer of sick asylum seekers from
Manus Manus may refer to: Relating to locations around New Guinea *Manus Island, a Papua New Guinean island in the Admiralty Archipelago ** Manus languages, languages spoken on Manus and islands close by ** Manus Regional Processing Centre, an offshore ...
and
Nauru Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies within the Micronesia subregion of Oceania, with its nearest neighbour being Banaba (part of ...
.
Morrison Morrison may refer to: People * Morrison (surname), people with the Scottish surname Morrison * Morrison Heady (1829–1915), American poet * Morrison Mann MacBride (1877–1938), Canadian merchant Places in the United States * Morrison, Colorad ...
cited the prospect of increased boat arrivals as the reason for re-opening it. The Shire Council president (mayor) of Christmas Island Shire, Gordon Thomson, criticised the move, saying the announcement was "stunning" and "made no practical sense." He told media that Christmas Island has never provided medical treatment to detainees, and this would have to be carried out on the Australian mainland. In April 2019, the Morrison government paid for 140
Serco Serco Group plc is a British multinational corporation, multinational military, defence, Healthcare, health, Space industry, space, private prison, justice, Human migration, migration, customer service, customer services, and transport company ...
employees to be sent to Christmas Island, despite there being no refugees on the island. The same month, it was revealed the planned re-opening was going to cost . In May 2019, it was reported that 20 Sri Lankan asylum seekers were intercepted and brought to Christmas Island where they were held for a few days, and that their claims were denied and they were flown back to Sri Lanka within the month. Gordon Thompson said he had not been informed of this, and criticised the Morrison government accusing it of secrecy. Home Affairs Minister
Peter Dutton Peter Craig Dutton (born 18 November 1970) is an Australian former politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition (Australia), Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia, leader of the Liberal Party from 2 ...
denied that any asylum seekers had been detained on Christmas Island, but did say more than 10 boats from Sri Lanka had been turned back before reaching the island.
Anthony Albanese Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been the Leaders of the Australian Labor Party#Leader, leader of the Labor Party si ...
, at the time leader of the opposition Labor Party, sought a security brief from the Government on the matter. On 30 August 2019, a Tamil asylum seeker family were taken by chartered jet from detention in Melbourne, with the intention of returning them to Sri Lanka. A last minute court injunction prevented the removal of the family from Australia, and forced the jet to land in Darwin. The next day, a plane took the family to the Christmas Island detention centre.


Coronavirus quarantine: February 2020

On 29 January 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a plan to evacuate "isolated and vulnerable" Australian citizens from
Wuhan Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
and
Hubei Province Hubei is a province in Central China. It has the seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland provinces. Its provincial capital at Wuhan serves as a major politi ...
amid the
coronavirus pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, taking them to the Christmas Island for
quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals, and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...
for 14 days. On 31 January, medical experts were sent from Australia to prepare the centre as a quarantine facility. On 3 February, about 240 Australian citizens, including 84 children and five infants, were flown out of Wuhan on a
Qantas Qantas ( ), formally Qantas Airways Limited, is the flag carrier of Australia, and the largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations in Australia and List of largest airlines in Oceania, Oceania. A foundi ...
evacuation flight to the Australian mainland and then flown on smaller planes to Christmas Island to spend two weeks at the repurposed facility. Another 35 Australians flown out of Wuhan on an
Air New Zealand Air New Zealand Limited () is the flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 28 international destinations in 18 countries, primarily within the Pacific Rim. The airline h ...
flight were transferred to Christmas Island from Brisbane.


2022 riot

In late March 2022, the New Zealand broadcaster
Māori Television Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
obtained footage showing bruised and bleeding New Zealand male detainees being zip-tied to furniture in a dining area within the detention centre. Route 501 founder and justice advocate Filipa Payne claimed that the men had been protesting against treatment and conditions at the facility. She also alleged that members of the Emergency Response Team had beaten the detainees with steel pipes and batons despite them complying with orders to cease resistance. These New Zealand detainees were facing deportation to New Zealand under the character test within section 501 of the
Migration Act 1958 The ''Migration Act 1958'' (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that governs immigration to Australia. It set up Australia’s universal visa system (or entry permits). Its long title is "An Act relating to the entry into, and pre ...
. Many of these deportees had lived most of their lives in Australia but had not taken up Australian citizenship.


Facility

The centre was constructed on a site, formerly a
phosphate mining Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphor ...
lease, at the north-western end of Christmas Island, next to the
Christmas Island National Park Christmas Island National Park is a national park occupying most of Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean southwest of Indonesia. The park is home to many species of animal and plant life, including the eponymous Christma ...
. The centre was built by
Baulderstone Baulderstone, formerly Baulderstone Hornibrook, was an Australian construction company. History MR Hornibrook In 1926, Manuel Hornibrook founded a construction company in Brisbane. Amongst its notable projects were the Story Bridge and William J ...
from January 2005 until August 2007 for the
Department of Finance and Administration The Department of Finance and Administration (also called DOFA) was an Australian government department tasked to contribute to sustainable Government finances; improved and more efficient Government operations; and efficiently functioning Parli ...
. It was finally completed in 2008.Australian Human Rights Commission (2012
Detention on Christmas Island"
p.14, Retrieved 8 December 2017
PDF version
-1.71 MB)
It consists of eight accommodation units, education and recreation building, tennis courts and central sports area. Central facilities include induction/visiting area, main reception, administration centre, conference centre, kitchen, laundry and stores, medical centre and utilities building. External facilities include warehouse and visitor processing building. In 2009, the capacity of the centre was increased to 1,800 places and in early 2010 to 2,040 places. In February 2010, the
Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The executive consists of the pr ...
announced a further increase of capacity to between 2,200 and 2,300 places "within a couple of weeks". In April 2010, there were 2,208 people in detention. In June 2013, a surge of asylum-seekers resulted in the detention facilities exceeding their designed capacity. Regular operating capacity is 1,094 people, with a contingency capacity of 2,724. After the interception of four boats in six days carrying 350, the Immigration Department said there were 2,960 "irregular maritime arrivals" being held.
Serco Serco Group plc is a British multinational corporation, multinational military, defence, Healthcare, health, Space industry, space, private prison, justice, Human migration, migration, customer service, customer services, and transport company ...
, a private contractor, manages the operations of immigration detention centres on behalf of the Australian Government. Property services are provided by CI Resources, which also operates a
phosphate mine Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphor ...
on the island.


See also

* Immigrant health in Australia *
List of Australian immigration detention facilities This is a list of current and former Australian immigration detention facilities. Immigration detention facilities are used to house people in immigration detention, and people detained under the Pacific Solution, and Operation Sovereign Border ...


References


External links


Immigration Detention Facilities page
at the
Department of Immigration and Citizenship The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) was an Australian government department that existed between January 2007 and September 2013, that was preceded by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and was s ...
website {{Subject bar , auto=y , portal1=Australia , portal2=Law , portal3=Society Immigration detention centres and prisons of Australia Prisons in Christmas Island Government buildings completed in 2006 Private prisons in Australia 2006 establishments in Australia Serco Quarantine facilities designated for the COVID-19 pandemic