CORONAVIRUS — YONGAH HILL IMMIGRATION DETENTION
CENTRE
547. Hon COLIN de GRUSSA to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the early morning
transfer of detainees from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to Yongah
Hill Immigration Detention Centre, which meant 72 individuals entered the state
from a high-risk jurisdiction.
(1) When was the
minister first made aware that a transfer of detainees would take place and
that a date had been determined for the transfer of detainees?
(2) Were G2G
passes issued or sought; and, if yes, can the minister please detail which
agency or individual sought the G2G passes, who authorised the G2G passes, and
whether any passes were rejected and subsequently resubmitted?
(3) If no to (2), under what grounds
were exemptions given for the detainees to enter WA?
(4) Is the minister satisfied that
there has been no risk to the community from this situation?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Minister for Police.
(1) On Wednesday, 18 August.
(2)–(3) �The
detainees and any movement of them are the responsibility of the commonwealth
government. Western Australia Police Force advises that Australian Border Force
provided it with details of the detainees, and under the Yongah Hill
Immigration Detainees Directions (No 3) there is no requirement for the
detainees to complete a G2G PASS declaration.
(4) The
commonwealth government is responsible for the detainees and should have taken
all necessary steps to protect the WA community from the risk associated with
moving the detainees to Yongah Hill from New South Wales. The McGowan
government has put in place strong border arrangements aimed at preventing
COVID-19 from coming to WA from NSW, including the requirements for a negative polymerase chain reaction test within 72 hours of
departing New South Wales; proof of receipt of at least one vaccination,
if eligible for vaccination in the point of origin, unless medically exempted;
mandatory use of G2G Now; and self-quarantine. If there is any risk, it is the
result of the actions of the commonwealth government.