Christmas Island immigration detention centre shuts

Christmas Island immigration detention centre has been put into contingency mode for the first time since the earliest days of the Rudd government.

Christmas Island Immigration Detention Centre. Picture: Supplied

The notorious Christmas Island immigration detention centre — the scene of rioting, alleged rapes, self harms, deaths and severe overcrowding that forced immigration officials to convert its recreation areas into a tentland — has been put into contingency mode for the first time since the earliest days of the Rudd government.

The centre that was built by the Howard government to accommodate 400 asylum seekers but under Labor once held more than 3000 has been winding down since late 2013.

It once erected tents that slept 39 men each but in recent years the proportion of it inmates who arrived by boat seeking asylum plunged: it has been mostly a holding pen for convicted criminals who are not citizens of Australia and are fighting deportation to their homelands.

The centre’s closure has been flagged since soon after the Abbott government won office in 2013 and halted a sustained wave of boat arrivals with a hardline policy of turnbacks and offshore detention.

Earlier this year, the island’s administrator Natasha Griggs announced to residents in an email that the centre would soon empty of detainees and begin a contingency mode.

The centre would still be staffed with a small number of guards and other workers including maintenance staff and cleaners, Ms Griggs wrote in her email.

The centre’s last detainees were sent to mainland centres last week and in recent days two plane loads of guards followed.

“This is another example of the Coalition Government cleaning up Labor’s mess,” immigration minister David Coleman said.

“Under the previous Labor Government, 50,000 people arrived on 800 boats, 1200 people tragically drowned at sea and 8000 children were put in detention.

“At its peak in July 2013, there were more than 10,000 people in held immigration detention, including 2000 children.

“This Government has stopped the boats, stopped the evil people smuggling trade and removed those children from detention.

“North West Point Immigration Detention Centre on Christmas Island is one of many immigration detention facilities that have closed or been put into contingency since September 2013.

“The decision to close these facilities has led to savings of more than $500m.

“All remaining detainees from Christmas Island have been transferred to mainland facilities. North West Point will be kept in a state of operational readiness so it can be reopened at short notice if needed.”