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Escape From Woomera Of Six Detainees
Julia Gillard - Shadow Minister for Population and Immigration
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Media Statement - 3 February 2003
Labor condemns the escape of at least six detainees earlier today from Woomera. Whatever complaints asylum seekers may have, there is no excuse for such behaviour.
Reports also indicate that the escapees had assistance from outsiders. I understand that some ACM detention officers were attacked with a tyre lever and an effort was made to run them down by the outsiders during the escape. If these reports are correct, I also condemn those involved. Anyone who thinks that they will engage the support and sympathy of Australians by assisting detainees to escape and then assaulting detention centre employees in the process is seriously mistaken.
I am also concerned about the health and safety of the escapees. On previous occasions, escapees were abandoned in the desert to fend for themselves. I trust that those involved in this incident are quickly located.
The Australian Federal Police must investigate the incident and make the outcome public. It seems likely that criminal acts have been committed, and charges must follow. Coming only a few weeks after fires and other disturbances at Woomera and other detention centres, the question of the poor security environment in detention must also be asked once again. Breaches of the security and good order of detention centres are regular occurrences on Minister Ruddock's watch – reinforcing the need to return the management of these centres to the public sector, as has been advocated by Labor consistently in recent years.
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