rtc-banner-vic rtc-banner-vic rtc-welcome-banner rtc-banner-vic
1 2 3 4 5
Step Carousel jQuery by WOWSlider.com v1.9m
Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre is located around 17 kilometres from the main township on Christmas Island. There are three seperate detention facilities there:
  • The Christmas Island IDC – a high security detention centre used for adult males. 
  • The Construction Camp immigration detention facility – a lower security detention facility used primarily for unaccompanied minors and families with children. 
  • The Phosphate Hill immigration detention facility – a secure detention facility used for adult males. 
In 2010 the capacity of Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre was increased to accommodate 2,040 people.  
The remoteness of this facility from mainland Australia limits asylum seekers' access to health resources and torture and trauma counselling. As with all remote detention, the issue is largely removed from public view, scrutiny and contact. 
In June 2014, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection announced that the Catholic Education Office of Western Australia (CEOWA) had been contracted ro run a learning centre to provide full-time education services for children on Christmas Island. ChilOut are still awaiting the details and logistics of this new contracts.
 

PIC

 
Copyright HREOC. The construction camp at christmas island. Where families are kept in so called 'community' conditions.
As a result of the Government's 'no advantage' principles, there has been no processing of applications by people who arrived after August 13, 2011. This means that people are in arbitrary detention and there is no legal representation on the island as there once was. 
The CIDC, also known as North West Point was the scene of unrest in March 2011.  Here's a timeline of events leading up to the unrest. At the time 1,800 men were detained in a centre designed for 500 people with capacity expanded to fit 800 people. People had been living in tents, in recreation rooms, it had been raining incessantly. Around 900 of those detained had been told they were refugees but remained in detention, the majority of people had been on CI for over 6 months, many for over 12 months. 
During periods of overcrowding smugglers and asylum seekers have been locked in the same centre leading to much tension. 
When the Australian / Afghan MOU was under discussion, asylum seekers on CI heard about the deal by watching the news on television. There was much fear, rumour and mistrust amongst those detained. The MOU would have seen unaccompanied minors returned to Afghanistan against their wishes and no matter whether their family had all fled Afghanistan or not. 
We regularly hear of under resourcing, not enough bi-lingual dictionaries, not enough recreational facilities or activities, complete boredom and despair for the unaccompanied minors; particularly during school holidays. 
 

Related:

ChilOut visited CI in 2011 and compiled the report; No Place for Children: Immigration detention on Christmas Island 

The Australian Human Rights Commission reported in 2012 and in 2010  following visits to Christmas Island